amercoproxy2009.htm
UNITED
STATES SECURITIES
AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON,
D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE
14A
Proxy
Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934
(Amendment
No. ______)
Filed by
the Registrant ý
Filed by
a Party other than the Registrant ¨
Check the
appropriate box:
o Preliminary Proxy
Statement
o Confidential, for Use
of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
ý Definitive Proxy
Statement
o Definitive Additional
Materials
o Soliciting Material
Pursuant to §240.14a-12
AMERCO
(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):
ý No fee
required.
o Fee computed on table
below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.
1.
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Title
of each class of securities to which transaction
applies:
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2.
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Aggregate
number of securities to which transaction
applies:
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3.
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Per
unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to
Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing fee is
calculated and state how it was
determined):
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4.
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Proposed
maximum aggregate value of
transaction:
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o Fee paid previously
with preliminary materials:
o Check box if any part
of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify
the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the
previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and
the date of its filing.
1.
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Amount
previously paid:
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2.
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Form,
Schedule or Registration Statement
No.:
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NOTICE OF
THE 2009 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS OF AMERCO
DATE:
Thursday, August 27, 2009
TIME: 8
a.m. PDT/11 a.m. EDT
PLACE:
U-Haul Central Towers,
2727 N.
Central Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona, 85004
Dear
Fellow
Stockholders: July
14, 2009
We look
forward to our 2009 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of AMERCO (the
“Company”) and are pleased to once again offer our meeting materials over the
Internet and to webcast the meeting. We believe that using the
Internet to distribute our materials and to host the meeting will allow more
stockholders to attend the meeting. We also expect that this approach will lower
the costs of the meeting and is consistent with our sustainability
initiatives.
During
the meeting, four matters will be presented for your consideration and
approval:
1.
Re-election of two Directors;
2.
Ratification of the appointment of BDO Seidman, LLP as the Company’s independent
auditors for
our fiscal year ending March 31, 2010;
3.
A proposal received from Company stockholders (“Stockholder Proponents”) to
ratify and
affirm the decisions and actions taken by the AMERCO Board of
Directors
and Executive Officers, with respect to AMERCO and its subsidiaries, for the
time frame of April 1, 2008 through March 31, 2009, and
4.
A proposal from the Stockholder Proponents that on a going-forward basis in all
Company annual meeting proxy statements subsequent to the Proxy Statement for
the
2009
Annual Meeting, the Company include on the ballot and in the annual meeting
materials for such respective annual meetings a stockholder proposal from the
Stockholder Proponents (or such other shareholder proponent(s) as may make the
request, or as a management proposal in the event the undersigned are no longer
stockholders of the Company and no comparable proposal is received from another
stockholder) that all decisions and actions made by the AMERCO Board of
Directors and Executive Officers, with respect to AMERCO and its subsidiaries,
for the time frame of April 1 of the year prior to the date of such proxy
statement through March 31 of the year prior of such proxy statement, be
ratified and affirmed.
I
encourage you to read the Proxy Statement for more information.
In
addition to these formal items of business, we will review other business
developments and share our plans for the Company’s future. You will have the
opportunity to ask questions of and communicate with members of our management
team. The AMERCO Board of Directors will also be participating.
I
encourage stockholders to attend the 2009 Annual Meeting via the webcast, to
promote the Company’s sustainability initiatives. I encourage you to
vote. The Board has fixed the close of business on July 1, 2009 as
the record date for determination of stockholders entitled to notice and to vote
at the 2009 Annual Meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof. Internet
voting must be completed before midnight prior to the meeting.
Sincerely
yours,
/s/ E.J. “Joe”
Shoen
E.J.
“Joe” Shoen
TABLE
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2009
ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
TO
BE HELD ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2009
This
Proxy Statement is furnished in connection with the solicitation of proxies on
behalf of the Board of Directors of AMERCO, a Nevada corporation (the
“Company”), with respect to the 2009 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of AMERCO
and any adjournment thereof (the “Annual Meeting”). The matters
to be voted upon at the Annual Meeting are: (i) the re-election of two
directors, (ii) the ratification of the appointment of BDO Seidman, LLP as the
Company’s independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for the fiscal year
ending March 31, 2010 (“Fiscal 2010”), (iii) a proposal received from Company
stockholders (“Stockholder Proponents”) to ratify and affirm the decisions and
actions taken by the AMERCO Board of Directors and Executive Officers, with
respect to AMERCO and its subsidiaries, for the time frame of April 1, 2008
through March 31, 2009, and (iv) a proposal from the Stockholder Proponents that
on a going-forward basis in all Company annual meeting proxy statements
subsequent to the Proxy Statement for the 2009 Annual Meeting, the
Company include on the ballot and in the annual meeting materials for such
respective annual meetings a stockholder proposal from the Stockholder
Proponents (or such other stockholder proponent(s) as may make the request, or
as a management proposal in the event the undersigned are no longer stockholders
of the Company and no comparable proposal is received from another stockholder)
that all decisions and actions made by the AMERCO Board of Directors and
Executive Officers, with respect to AMERCO and its subsidiaries, for the time
frame of April 1 of the year prior to the date of such proxy statement through
March 31 of the year of such proxy statement, be ratified and
affirmed.
It is
anticipated that the Notice of internet availability of Proxy materials is being
first sent to stockholders on or about July 14, 2009. The Proxy Statement and
the form of proxy relating to the Annual Meeting are first being made available
to stockholders on July 14, 2009.
Why
am I being provided with these materials?
Owners of
record of AMERCO common stock as of the close of business on July 1, 2009 (the
"Record Date") are entitled to vote in connection with the Annual Meeting. As a
stockholder, you are requested to vote on the items of business described in
this Proxy Statement. This Proxy Statement describes the items presented for
stockholder action at our Annual Meeting and includes information required to be
disclosed to stockholders.
Why
have I received a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy
Materials?
In
accordance with applicable laws and regulations, we are permitted to furnish
proxy materials to our stockholders on the Internet, in lieu of mailing printed
copies of the documents. You will not receive a printed
copy of the proxy materials, unless you request a printed
copy. The Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials
(the “Notice”) instructs you as to how to access the proxy materials on the
Internet. The Notice also instructs you as to how to vote. If you would like to
receive a printed copy of the proxy materials, you must follow the instructions
for requesting such materials included in the Notice. You may also
download or print these materials, or any portion thereof, from any computer
with Internet access and a printer. The Proxy Statement consists of
approximately 25 pages.
Who
can vote in connection with the Annual Meeting?
You may
vote if you were the record owner of AMERCO common stock as of the close of
business on July 1,
2009. As of June 30, 2009,
there were 19,607,788 shares of common stock outstanding and entitled to
vote.
How
do I attend the Annual Meeting?
The
Annual Meeting will be webcast live over the Internet at http://www.amerco.com
and will be hosted at the U-Haul Central Towers, 2727 N. Central Avenue,
Phoenix, Arizona, 85004, at 8:00 am, PDT, on August 27, 2009. We
encourage stockholders to attend the Annual Meeting via the live webcast, in
order to reduce the carbon footprint attributable to the Annual
Meeting. In-person attendance at the Annual Meeting is limited to
stockholders as of the Record Date and their legal proxies, and valid photo
identification is required. If your shares are held in
“street
name”
(for instance, through a brokerage firm or bank), you will also need to bring
evidence of your beneficial ownership, such as a recent statement from your
brokerage account.
What
am I voting on?
You are
voting on:
Item
1: The re-election of two directors;
Item
2:
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The
ratification of the appointment of BDO Seidman, LLP as the Company’s
independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for Fiscal
2010;
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Item
3:
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A
proposal received from Stockholder Proponents to ratify and affirm the
decisions and actions taken by the AMERCO Board of Directors and Executive
Officers, with respect to AMERCO and its subsidiaries, for the time frame
of April 1, 2008 through March 31,
2009;
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Item
4:
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A
proposal from the Stockholder Proponents that on a going-forward basis in
all Company annual meeting proxy statements subsequent to the Proxy
Statement for the 2009 Annual Meeting, the Company include on
the ballot and in the annual meeting materials for such respective annual
meetings a stockholder proposal from the Stockholder Proponents (or such
other stockholder proponent(s) as may make the request, or as a management
proposal in the event the undersigned are no longer stockholders of the
Company and no comparable proposal is received from another stockholder)
that all decisions and actions made by the AMERCO Board of Directors and
Executive Officers, with respect to AMERCO and its subsidiaries, for the
time frame of April 1 of the year prior to the date of such proxy
statement through March 31 of the year of such proxy statement, be
ratified and
affirmed;
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as well
as any other business that may properly come before the meeting.
How
does the Board recommend that I vote my shares?
The Board
recommendations are as follows:
Item
1:
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The Board recommends a vote “FOR”;
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Item
2:
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The Board recommends a vote “FOR”;
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Item
3:
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The Board recommends a vote “FOR”;
and
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Item
4:
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The Board recommends a vote
“FOR”.
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We
encourage all stockholders to vote their shares. If you own your
shares pursuant to the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (“ESOP”) and you do not
vote, the ESOP Trustee will vote your shares on your behalf, in its discretion.
If you own your shares in “street name” and do not instruct your broker or other
record owner of the shares as to how to vote, such broker or other record owner
may vote your shares pursuant to its discretionary authority, if any. If you are
a registered stockholder and sign the Proxy Card but do not instruct the Proxy
Holder as to how to vote, the Proxy Holder will vote your shares on your behalf,
in his or her discretion.
What
types of votes are permitted on each Item?
Item
1:
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You
may either vote "FOR" all the nominees to the Board of Directors, you may
"WITHHOLD" for all nominees, or you may "WITHHOLD" your vote from any
nominee you specify.
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Item
2:
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You
may vote "FOR," "AGAINST" or
"ABSTAIN".
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Item
3:
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You
may vote "FOR," "AGAINST" or
"ABSTAIN".
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Item
4:
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You
may vote "FOR," "AGAINST" or
"ABSTAIN".
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If you
vote "WITHHOLD" (in the case of Item 1 above) or "ABSTAIN" (in the case of Items
2, 3 or 4 above) your vote will not be
counted towards the vote total for such Item.
How
many votes are needed to approve each Item?
Item
1:
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The
two nominees receiving the most "FOR" votes will be
elected.
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Item
2:
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There must be
a "FOR" vote from the majority of votes cast and entitled to
vote.
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Item
3:
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There must be
a "FOR" vote from the majority of votes cast and entitled to
vote.
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Item
4:
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There
must be a "FOR" vote from the majority of votes cast and entitled to
vote.
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How
many votes must be present, whether in person or by proxy, to hold the Annual
Meeting?
In order
for the Annual Meeting to proceed, holders of one-third of the outstanding
shares of common stock must be present, in person or by proxy, at the
meeting. This is referred to as a quorum. Abstentions and
broker non-votes will be counted for purposes of establishing a quorum at the
meeting.
What
are broker non-votes?
Broker non-votes occur with respect to
shares held in “street name”, in cases where the record owner (for instance, the
brokerage firm or bank) does not receive voting instructions from the beneficial
owner and does not have discretionary voting authority with respect to those
shares. Broker non-votes, as well as "ABSTAIN" votes will each be
counted towards the presence of a quorum but
will not be counted
towards the vote total for any Item.
What
if my AMERCO shares are not registered directly in my name but are held in
"street name"?
If at the
Record Date your shares were held in "street name" (for instance, through a
brokerage firm or bank), then you are the beneficial owner of such shares, and
such shares are not registered directly in your name. The organization holding
your account is considered the stockholder of record for purposes of the Annual
Meeting. As a beneficial owner, you have the right to direct that organization
on how to vote the shares in your account. You will receive the
Notice and other proxy materials if requested, as well as voting instructions,
directly from that organization.
If
I am a stockholder of record of AMERCO, how do I cast my vote?
There are
several ways to cast your vote:
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You
may vote over the Internet, by going to www.proxyvote.com. You will
need to type
in the Control Number indicated on your Proxy Card and follow the
instructions.
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You
may vote over the telephone, by dialing 1-800-690-6903 and follow the
recorded instructions. You will need the Control Number indicated on your
Proxy Card.
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You
may vote by mailing in the Proxy Card ballot. To vote by mail
using the enclosed Proxy Card (if you received a printed copy of these
proxy materials by mail or if you printed a Proxy Card off the Internet),
you will need to complete, sign and date your Proxy Card and return it
promptly in the envelope provided or mail it to AMERCO c/o Broadridge, 51
Mercedes Way, Edgewood, New York
11717.
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·
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You
may vote in person, at the commencement of the Annual
Meeting.
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If you
vote over the Internet or telephone, your vote must be received by 11:59 p.m.
Eastern Time on August 26, 2009 to be counted. If you vote by mail,
please ensure that your completed Proxy Card is mailed no later than August 17,
2009.
How
do I vote if I hold my stock through the AMERCO ESOP?
If you
hold your stock through the ESOP, you may vote in the same manner as
stockholders of record, as described immediately above.
If
I am a beneficial owner of AMERCO shares, how do I vote?
If you
are a beneficial owner, you will need to follow the voting instructions provided
to you by the organization holding your account (for instance, your brokerage
firm). To request documents or if you have any questions about
voting, you will need to contact your broker. As a
beneficial owner, if you would like to vote in person at the Annual Meeting, you
must obtain and bring to the Annual Meeting a Legal Proxy from your broker or
other applicable registered owner of your shares, in advance of the
meeting.
How
many votes do I have?
On each
matter to be voted upon, you have one vote for each share of our common stock
that you owned as of the close of business on the Record Date.
Who
counts the votes?
We have
hired Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. ("Broadridge") to count the
votes. In addition, an employee of Broadridge will be present at the
meeting to serve as the Inspector of Election.
Could
other matters be decided at the Annual Meeting?
We are
not aware of any other matters that will be considered at the Annual
Meeting. If any other matters are properly brought to the Annual
Meeting, the person identified on the Proxy Card as Proxy Holder will vote in accordance with
his or her best judgment.
What
does it mean if I receive more than one Notice or Proxy Card?
If you
receive more than one Notice or Proxy Card, your shares are owned in more than
one name or in multiple accounts. In order to ensure that all of your shares are
voted, you must follow the voting instructions included in each Notice and Proxy
Card.
How
will I know the vote results?
Preliminary
voting results will be announced at the Annual Meeting. Final results
will be published in the Company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the second
quarter of Fiscal 2010 or in a current report on Form 8-K.
How
can I access the AMERCO Proxy Statement and annual report
electronically?
To access
the AMERCO Proxy Statement and Annual Report electronically, please visit
www.proxyvote.com or the Company’s Investor Relations web site, www.amerco.com. You may also consent to
receive all future Company proxy statements and annual reports electronically
via e-mail. To sign up for e-delivery, please go to www.amerco.com, and
click on the yellow “Electronic Delivery Enrollment” box toward the top left
corner of the page and follow the instructions.
How
can I revoke my Proxy?
Even
after you have submitted your proxy card or voted by telephone or by Internet
you may change or revoke your vote at any time before the proxy is exercised by
filing with the Company’s Secretary either a notice of revocation or a signed
proxy card bearing a later date, re-voting by telephone, or re-voting by
Internet. The powers of the proxy holders will be suspended with respect to your
shares if you attend the Annual Meeting in person and so request, although
attendance at the meeting will not automatically revoke your proxy absent
specific action on your part.
The
Company’s Board of Directors currently consists of eight directors. The
Company’s Restated Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws both provide for the
division of the Board of Directors into four classes, designated as Class I,
Class II, Class III, and Class IV. Subject to applicable law, each
class consists, as nearly as may be possible, of one-fourth of the total number
of directors constituting the entire Board of Directors. The term of each
directorship is four years and the terms of the four classes are staggered in a
manner so that in most cases only one class is elected by the stockholders each
year.
At the
Annual Meeting, two Class III directors will be elected to serve until the 2013
Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Unless you vote your shares otherwise, it is the
intention of the Proxy Holder to vote for the two director nominees named below.
However, if any nominee named herein becomes unavailable to serve at the time of
election (which is not anticipated), and, as a consequence, other nominees are
designated, the Proxy Holder shall have the discretion and authority to vote or
refrain from voting in accordance with his or her judgment.
Directors
are elected by a plurality of the shares represented at the meeting, whether in
person or by proxy. Votes may be cast “FOR” all nominees, “WITHHOLD” for all
nominees, or “WITHHOLD” as to specific nominees. The two Class III nominees
who receive the greatest number of votes cast “FOR” the election of such
nominees shall be elected as directors.
Nominees
for Election as Class III Directors
The
independent directors have approved the nomination of the following individuals
to serve until the 2013 Annual Meeting:
John
M. Dodds
James
P. Shoen
JOHN M. DODDS, 72, has served
as a Director of the Company since 1987 and as Director of Company subsidiaries
U-Haul International, Inc. (“U-Haul”) and Amerco Real Estate Company (“Real
Estate”) since 1990. Mr. Dodds has been associated with the Company
since 1963. He served in regional field operations until 1986 and served in
national field operations until 1994. Mr. Dodds retired from the Company in
1994.
JAMES P. SHOEN, 49, has served
as a Director of the Company since 1986 and was Vice President of the Company
from 1989 to 2000. Mr. Shoen has been associated with the Company
since 1976. He served from 1990 to November 2000 as Executive Vice
President of U-Haul. He is currently Vice President of U-Haul
Business Consultants, a subsidiary of the Company.
Directors
Continuing In Office
Class
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Name
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Term Expires
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Class
I
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John
P. Brogan
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2011
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Class
I
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Daniel
R. Mullen
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2011
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Class
II
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Edward
J. Shoen
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2012
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Class
II
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M.
Frank Lyons
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2012
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Class
IV
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Charles
J. Bayer
|
2010
|
Class
IV
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Michael
L. Gallagher
|
2010
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JOHN P. BROGAN, 65, has served
as a Director of the Company since 1998. Mr. Brogan has served as the Chairman
of Muench-Kreuzer Candle Company since 1980. He has also been involved with
various companies including a seven-year association with Alamo Rent-A-Car that
ended in 1986.
DANIEL R. MULLEN, 68, has
served as a Director of the Company since 2005. Mr. Mullen served as a member of
the AMERCO Advisory Board from 2004 until his appointment to the AMERCO Board
and has served as a Director of U-Haul since 2004, Oxford Life Insurance Company
(“Oxford”) since 2005 and Real Estate since 2008. He has served as Director and
President of Continental Leasing Co. since 1970. He was Vice President and
Treasurer of Talley Industries, Inc., a multi-industry conglomerate from 1982 to
1998. Mr. Mullen was employed by the Company from 1968 until
1982.
EDWARD J. SHOEN, 60, has
served as Chairman of the Board since 1986 and President of the Company since
1987, as a Director of U-Haul since 1990, as a Director of Real Estate since
1988 and as a Director of Republic Western Insurance Company (“RepWest”) since
1997. Mr. Shoen has been associated with the Company since 1971.
M. FRANK LYONS, 73, has served
as a Director of the Company since 2002. Mr. Lyons served in various positions
with the Company from 1959 until 1991, including 25 years as the President of
Warrington Manufacturing. From 1991 until his retirement in 2000, he was
President of Evergreen Realty, Inc.
CHARLES J. BAYER, 69, has
served as a Director of the Company since 1990 and has been associated with the
Company since 1967. Mr. Bayer has served in various executive positions,
including as President of Real Estate from 1990 until his retirement in
2000.
MICHAEL L. GALLAGHER, 65, has
served as a Director of the Company since 2007. Mr. Gallagher served
on the AMERCO Advisory Board from 2003 until his appointment to the AMERCO
Board. Mr. Gallagher is Chairman Emeritus of the law firm
Gallagher & Kennedy. Mr. Gallagher is also a director of Pinnacle
West Capital Corporation and Omaha-World Herald Newspaper. Mr.
Gallagher is also a trustee of the Peter Kiewit Foundation in Omaha,
Nebraska.
As of
June 30, 2009, Edward J. Shoen, Chairman of the Board of Directors and President
of AMERCO, James P. Shoen, a director and executive officer of AMERCO, and Mark
V. Shoen, an executive officer of AMERCO, collectively are the owners of
9,342,598 shares (approximately 47.7%) of the outstanding common stock of
AMERCO. On June 30, 2006, Edward J. Shoen, James P. Shoen, Mark V. Shoen,
Rosemarie T. Donovan (as Trustee of various separate Shoen Irrevocable Trusts)
and Southwest Fiduciary, Inc. (as Trustee of three separate Irrevocable “C”
Trusts) (collectively, the “Reporting Persons”) entered into a Stockholder
Agreement in which the Reporting Persons are required to vote their AMERCO stock
as one block, as determined by the majority of shares subject to the
Stockholder Agreement. As of March 1, 2007, Adagio Trust Company
replaced Southwest Fiduciary, Inc. as the trustee of the Irrevocable “C” Trusts,
and became a signatory to the Stockholder Agreement. As of January 1, 2009
Dunham Trust Company became the successor to Adagio Trust Company as the trustee
of the Irrevocable “C” Trusts. As of the Record Date, 11,017,321 shares
(approximately 56.2% of the Company’s outstanding voting stock) are owned by the
Reporting Persons and are subject to the Stockholder Agreement. The
Reporting Persons appointed James P. Shoen as proxy to vote their collective
shares as provided in the Stockholder Agreement. For additional information, see
the Schedule 13Ds filed on July 13, 2006, on March 9, 2007 and on June 26, 2009
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).
As a result of their stock ownership
and the Stockholder Agreement, Edward J. Shoen, Mark V. Shoen and James P. Shoen
are in a position to significantly influence the business affairs and policies
of the Company, including the approval of significant transactions, the election
of the members of the Board of Directors and other matters submitted to Company
stockholders. There can be no assurance that the interests of the Reporting
Persons will not conflict with the interest of the other stockholders of the
Company. Furthermore, as a result of the Reporting Persons’ voting power, the
Company is a “controlled company” as defined in the Nasdaq Listing Rules and,
therefore, may avail itself of certain exemptions thereunder, including
exemptions from the rules that require the Company to have (i) a majority of
independent directors on the Board; (ii) a compensation committee composed
solely of independent directors; (iii) a nominating committee composed solely of
independent directors; (iv) compensation of executive officers determined by a
majority of the independent directors or a compensation committee composed
solely of independent directors; and (v) director nominees selected, or
recommended for the Board’s selection, either by a majority of the independent
directors or a nominating committee composed solely of independent directors.
The Company currently avails itself of the exemption to the Nasdaq Listing Rule
requiring that compensation of executive officers be determined by a majority of
the independent directors or the compensation committee. However, the
Company’s Compensation Committee evaluates the compensation of the Company’s
President at least annually to ensure that such compensation is fair, reasonable
and aligned with the Company’s overall objectives.
Based on
an evaluation by the Company’s Independent Governance Committee, such committee
recommended to the Board of Directors that Daniel R. Mullen, M. Frank Lyons,
John M. Dodds, Charles J. Bayer, John P. Brogan, and Michael L. Gallagher be
determined to be independent. The full Board of Directors, in furtherance of the
recommendation of the Independent Governance Committee and based upon its own
investigation, has determined that the Directors listed in this paragraph are
independent as defined under applicable NASDAQ and SEC provisions.
The full
Board of Directors of the Company met in regularly scheduled Board meetings
seven times during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009 (“Fiscal
2009”). For Fiscal 2009, each director attended at least 85% of the
scheduled Board meetings and committees meetings for the committees on which
such respective individual served.
The
independent Directors met in executive session, without the presence of
management, as part of each regularly scheduled Board
meeting.
Directors
are encouraged to attend our annual meetings of stockholders. Participation via
the webcast is encouraged, particularly in cases where travel from out of town
would otherwise be required. All directors attended our 2008 Annual
Meeting of Stockholders, which was held on August 28, 2008.
The Board
of Directors has established the following standing committees: Audit Committee,
Executive Finance Committee, Compensation Committee and Independent Governance
Committee. The Company also has an Advisory Board, which is comprised of
non-director members. The Company does not have a nominating
committee. Currently, the responsibility for director nominations is vested in
the independent members of the Board; however, as a “controlled company” the
Company is not required to do so under the Nasdaq Listing Rules, and the Company
reserves the right to cease having the responsibility for director nominations
vested in the independent members of the Board. The Board does not believe that
a nominating committee is necessary because the independent directors
participate in the nominating process. The Board of Directors has
adopted a resolution addressing the director nomination process and related
matters; however, the Board may, in the future, choose to change its director
nomination policy, including its policy related to stockholder nomination of
directors. This process is described below, under the heading “Director
Nomination Process.”
For
Fiscal 2010, the annual fee for services rendered as a director of the Company
is $55,000. Additionally, Audit Committee, Advisory Board and
Independent Governance Committee members receive a $55,000 annual fee for
service on such committee, and Executive Finance Committee and Compensation
Committee members receive a $25,000 annual fee. These amounts are
paid in equal monthly installments.
Listed
below are summaries of the Company’s committees and the Advisory Board, and the
memberships thereof.
Audit
Committee. The Audit Committee is comprised of John P. Brogan,
Charles J. Bayer, John M. Dodds and Daniel R. Mullen. The Audit Committee
assists the Board of Directors in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities as
to financial reporting, audit functions and risk management. The Audit Committee
monitors the financial information that is provided to stockholders and others,
the independence and performance of the Company’s independent Registered Public
Accounting Firm and internal audit department and the systems of internal
control established by management and the Board of Directors. The Audit
Committee operates pursuant to a written charter approved by the Board of
Directors. Messrs. Brogan, Bayer, Dodds and Mullen are each considered
“independent” pursuant to the NASDAQ listing rules and the rules of the
SEC. The Board of Directors has determined that each member
meets the applicable requirements of audit committee members under NASDAQ
listing rules. Mr. Brogan is designated the Audit Committee “financial expert”
as defined by the rules of the SEC and the other similar financial
sophistication rules under NASDAQ regulations. Stockholders should understand
that this designation is a disclosure requirement of the SEC related to Mr.
Brogan’s experience and understanding with respect to certain accounting and
auditing matters. The designation does not impose on Mr. Brogan any duties,
obligations or liability that are greater than are generally imposed on him as a
member of the Audit Committee and the Board, and his designation as an audit
committee financial expert pursuant to these SEC and NASDAQ requirements does
not affect the duties, obligations or liability of any other member of the Audit
Committee or the Board. Messrs. Bayer and Mullen have been determined by the
Board to meet the qualifications of “audit committee financial expert” as
well. The Audit Committee met six times during Fiscal
2009.
Executive Finance Committee.
The Executive Finance Committee is comprised of Edward J. Shoen, John P. Brogan
and Charles J. Bayer. The Executive Finance Committee is authorized
to act on behalf of the Board of Directors in approving any transaction
involving the finances of the Company. The Committee has the authority to give
final approval for the borrowing of funds on behalf of the Company without
further action or approval of the Board of Directors. This committee acted by
unanimous written consent on approximately ten occasions during Fiscal
2009.
Compensation Committee. The
Compensation Committee is comprised of John P. Brogan and John M. Dodds. The
Compensation Committee reviews the Company’s executive compensation plans and
policies, including benefits and incentives, to ensure that they are consistent
with the goals and objectives of the Company. The
Committee
reviews and makes recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding management
recommendations for changes in executive compensation and monitors management
plans and programs for the retention, motivation and development of senior
management. The Compensation Committee operates pursuant to a written
charter approved by the Board of Directors in fiscal 2007. The Compensation
Committee met four times during Fiscal 2009.
Independent Governance
Committee. The Independent Governance Committee is comprised
of Paul A. Bible, Michael L. Gallagher and Thomas W. Hayes. Mr. Bible and Mr.
Hayes are not members of the Company’s Board of Directors. The
Independent Governance Committee monitors and evaluates the Company’s corporate
governance principles and standards and proposes to the Board any modifications
which are deemed appropriate for sound corporate governance. The
committee may review other matters as referred to it by the
Board. The committee has the authority and a budget from which to
retain professionals. Each member of the Independent Governance
Committee is determined by the Board to be free of any relationship that would
interfere with his or her exercise of independent judgment as a member of this
committee. The Independent Governance Committee met three times
during Fiscal 2009. Additionally, the non-Board members of the Independent
Governance Committee are encouraged to attend all Board meetings of the
Company.
Mr. Hayes
was President of Metropolitan West Financial Inc, a diversified financial
management company with over $60 billion in managed funds. He has
also served as the State Treasurer of California, California’s Director of
Finance, and was responsible for overseeing the successful restructuring of
Orange County’s investment pool, following that county’s bankruptcy
filing.
Mr. Bible has served as a member of the
Independent Governance Committee since 2003. He is the president and a
stockholder in the Reno, Nevada law firm Bible Mousel, P.C., and currently
serves as the chairman of the compliance committee for (i) H Group Holding,
Inc., an affiliate of the Hyatt Corporation; (ii) Jacobs Entertainment, Inc.,
the holding company of Black Hawk Gaming & Development Company, Inc. and
(iii) Colony Resorts LVH Acquisitions, LLC and RIH Resorts, LLC. He is the
former chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of Nevada, Reno
Foundation, and is the former chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission. He was
recently elected to the board of directors of Fisher Communications, Inc.
(“FSCI”), a publicly traded Seattle based communications company that owns and
manages radio and television stations.
Advisory Board
Members. The Advisory Board is comprised of Barbara Campbell
and Richard J. Herrera. Advisory Board members do not vote, but are
given full access to the affairs of the Board, including all meetings and votes
of the Board and are treated in all other respects as a Board
member. The Board has authorized up to two Advisory Board members who
serve at the will of the Board.
Ms.
Campbell is President and founder of Consensus, LLC. Prior to founding
Consensus, Ms. Campbell served as the chairman of the board for the State of
Nevada Tax Commission and Vice President of Finance for MGM Grand Resorts
Development. Ms. Campbell is also a Trustee for the Donald W. Reynolds
Foundation and previously served as chairwoman of the audit committee for the
Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco.
Mr.
Herrera has a long history in the retail industry, most recently as Executive
Vice President of Eastern Seaboard Packaging and Executive Vice President of
ABUS Lock USA. Mr. Herrera was employed as Marketing Vice
President/Retail Sales Manager for U-Haul from 1988-2001, and served on the
Company’s Board of Directors from 1993-2001 and the U-Haul Board from
1990-2001.
See
“Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management” and “Certain
Relationships and Related Transactions” for additional information relating to
the directors.
Director
Qualifications. Persons nominated to the Board should have
personal integrity and high ethical character. Candidates should not
have any interests that would materially impair his or her ability to exercise
independent judgment or otherwise discharge the fiduciary duties owed by a
director to the Company and its stockholders. Candidates must be able
to represent fairly and equally all stockholders of the Company without
favoring
any particular stockholder group or other constituency of the Company and must
be prepared to devote adequate time to the Board and its
committees. In selecting nominees for director, the Board will assure
that:
· at
least three of the directors satisfy the financial literacy requirements
required for service on the Audit Committee; and
· at
least one of the directors qualifies as an audit committee financial expert
under the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Identifying Director
Candidates. The Board utilizes a variety of methods for
identifying and evaluating nominees to serve as directors. The Board
has a policy of re-nominating incumbent directors who continue to satisfy the
Board’s criteria for membership and whom the independent directors believe
continue to make important contributions to the Board and who consent to
continue their service on the Board.
In
filling vacancies of the Board, the independent directors will solicit
recommendations for nominees from the persons the independent directors believe
are likely to be familiar with (i) the needs of the Company and (ii) qualified
candidates. These persons may include members of the Board and
management of the Company. The independent directors may also engage
a professional search firm to assist in identifying qualified
candidates.
In
evaluating potential nominees, the independent directors will oversee the
collection of information concerning the background and qualifications of the
candidate and determine whether the candidate satisfies the minimum
qualifications required by the Board for election as director and whether the
candidate possesses any of the specific skills or qualities that under the
Board’s policies must be possessed by one or more members of the
Board.
The
independent directors may interview any proposed candidate and may solicit the
views about the candidate’s qualifications and suitability from the Company’s
chief executive officer and other senior members of management.
The
independent directors will make their selections based on all the available
information and relevant considerations. The independent directors’
selection will be based on who, in the view of the independent directors, will
be best suited for membership on the Board.
In making
its selection, the independent directors will evaluate candidates proposed by
stockholders under criteria similar to other candidates, except that the
independent directors may consider, as one of the factors in their evaluation,
the size and duration of the interest of the recommending stockholder in the
stock of the Company. The independent directors may also consider the
extent to which the recommending stockholder intends to continue to hold its
interest in the Company, including whether the recommending stockholder intends
to continue holding its interest at least through the time of the meeting at
which the candidate is to be elected.
Stockholder
Nominees. The policy of the Board of Directors is to consider
properly submitted stockholder recommendations for candidates for membership on
the Board of Directors as described below. The evaluation process for
such nominations is overseen by the Company’s independent
directors. In evaluating such nominations, the independent directors
seek to achieve qualified directors that can represent fairly and equally all
stockholders of the Company and based on the membership qualifications and
criteria described above. Any stockholder nominations for
consideration by the independent directors should be mailed or delivered to the
Company’s Secretary at 2721 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona
85004. The recommendation must be accompanied by the following
information about the stockholder:
· the
stockholder’s name and address, including telephone number;
· the
number of shares of the Company’s stock owned by the recommending stockholder
and the time period for which such shares have been held;
· if
the recommending stockholder is not a stockholder of record, a statement from
the record holder of the shares (usually a broker or bank) verifying the
holdings of the stockholder and a statement from the recommending stockholder of
the length of time the that the shares have been held; and
· a
statement from the stockholder as to whether the stockholder has a good faith
intention to continue to hold the reported shares through the date of the next
annual meeting at which the candidate would be elected.
If the recommendation is submitted by a
group of two or more stockholders, the above information must be submitted with
respect to each stockholder in the group. The recommendation must be
received by the Company not later than 120 days prior to the first anniversary
of the date of the proxy statement for the prior annual meeting, except in the
event that the date of the annual meeting for the current year is moved more
than 30 days from the anniversary date of the annual meeting for the prior year,
the submission will be considered timely if it is submitted a reasonable time in
advance of the mailing of the Company’s proxy statement for the annual meeting
for the current year. The recommendation must be accompanied by
consent of the proposed nominee to be interviewed by the independent directors
and other Board members and to serve as director of the Company.
The
recommendation must also contain information about the proposed nominee,
including:
· the
proposed nominee’s name and address;
· the
information required by Items 401, 403 and 404 of SEC Regulation S-K (generally
providing for disclosure of arrangements or understandings regarding the
nomination, the business experience of the proposed nominee, legal proceedings
involving the proposed nominee, the proposed nominee’s ownership of securities
of the Company, and transactions and relationships between the proposed nominee
and the Company);
· a
description of all relationships between the proposed nominee and any of the
Company’s competitors, customers, suppliers, labor unions or other persons with
special interests regarding the Company;
· the
qualifications of the proposed nominee; and
· a
statement from the recommending stockholder that in his or her view, the
nominee, if elected, would represent all the stockholders and not serve for the
purpose of advancing or favoring any particular stockholder or other
constituency of the Company.
The Secretary will forward all
recommendations to the independent directors. The acceptance of a
recommendation from a stockholder does not imply that the independent directors
will recommend to the Board of Directors the nomination of the stockholder
recommended candidate. In addition, the Company’s Bylaws permit stockholders to
nominate directors at an annual meeting and nothing in the above procedures is
intended to conflict with the provisions of the Company’s Bylaws governing
nominations by stockholders.
This information contained in this
proxy statement about the Company’s nominations process is just a
summary. A complete copy of the policies and procedures with respect
to stockholder director nominations can be obtained from the Company, free of
charge, by writing to our Secretary at the address listed above.
Stockholders
may communicate with the Board of Directors by writing to the Company Secretary
at 2721 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85004. All such
communications, or summaries thereof, will be relayed to the Board.
AND
MANAGEMENT
To the
best of the Company’s knowledge, the following table lists, as of June 30, 2009
the beneficial ownership of the Company’s common stock of (i) each director and
director nominee of the Company, (ii) (A) all persons serving as the Company’s
principal executive officer or as principal financial officer during Fiscal
2009; and (B) the three most highly paid executive officers who were serving as
executive officers at the end of Fiscal 2009 other than the principal executive
officer and the principal financial officer (the “Named Executive Officers”) and
(iii) all directors and executive officers of the Company as a group. The table
also lists those persons who beneficially own more than five percent (5%) of the
Company’s common stock. The percentages of class amounts set forth in the table
below are based on 19,607,788 shares of the Company’s common stock outstanding
on June 30, 2009. Stockholders may communicate with the beneficial owners and
executive officers by writing to the Company Secretary at 2721 N. Central
Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85004. All such communications, or summaries
thereof, will be relayed to the beneficial owners or executive
officers.
Name of Beneficial Owner
|
|
Shares
of Common Stock Beneficially Owned
|
|
|
Percentage
of Common
Stock
Class
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Directors:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Charles
J. Bayer
Director
|
|
|
2,261 |
|
|
|
** |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John
P. Brogan
Director
|
|
|
6,000 |
|
|
|
** |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John
M. Dodds
Director
and Director Nominee
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
** |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Michael
L. Gallagher
Director
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
** |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
M.
Frank Lyons
Director
|
|
|
300 |
|
|
|
** |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Daniel
R. Mullen
Director
|
|
|
7,000 |
|
|
|
** |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Named
Executive Officers:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Edward
J. Shoen (1)
Chairman
and President of AMERCO,
Director
|
|
|
11,017,321 |
|
|
|
56.2 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
James
P. Shoen (1) (2)
Vice
President of U-Haul Business Consultants,
Director
and Director Nominee
|
|
|
11,017,321 |
|
|
|
56.2 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mark
V. Shoen (1) (2)
Vice
President of U-Haul Business Consultants
|
|
|
11,017,321 |
|
|
|
56.2 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Richard
M. Amoroso
President
of Republic Western Insurance Company
|
|
|
487 |
|
|
|
** |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name of Beneficial
Owner
|
|
Shares
of Common Stock Beneficially Owned
|
|
|
Percentage
of Common
Stock
Class
|
|
Jason
A. Berg
Principal
Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer
of AMERCO
|
|
|
553 |
|
|
|
** |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Executive
Officers and Directors as a group - 20 persons. (4)
|
|
|
11,053,278 |
|
|
|
56.3 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5%
Beneficial Owners:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dunham
Trust Company (1)
As
Trustee under the “C” Irrevocable Trusts dated
December
20, 1982
|
|
|
11,017,321 |
|
|
|
56.2 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rosemarie
T. Donovan (1)
As
Trustee of the Irrevocable Trust dated
November
2, 1998
|
|
|
11,017,321 |
|
|
|
56.2 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The
AMERCO Employee Stock Ownership Plan (3)
|
|
|
1,753,479 |
|
|
|
8.9 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sophia
M. Shoen
5104
N. 32nd
Street
Phoenix,
Arizona 85018
|
|
|
1,305,560 |
|
|
|
6.7 |
% |
**The
percentage of the referenced class beneficially owned is less than one
percent.
|
|
(1)
This consists of 11,017,321 shares subject to the Stockholder Agreement,
which includes shares beneficially owned by Edward J. Shoen (3,458,096);
Mark V. Shoen (3,934,121); James P. Shoen (1,950,381); Rosemarie T.
Donovan, as Trustee of the Irrevocable Trusts dated November 2, 1998
(250,250); and Dunham Trust Company, as Trustee under the “C” Irrevocable
Trusts dated December 20, 1982 (1,424,473).
(2)
As of June 30, 2009 Edward J. Shoen, Mark V. Shoen and James P. Shoen also
beneficially own 52,400 shares (.86
%), 394,125 shares (6.46 %) and 120,955 shares (2.00 %) respectively, of
the Company’s Series A 8½% Preferred Stock. The executive officers
and directors as a group beneficially own 587,180 shares (9.63 %) of the
Company’s Series A 8½% Preferred Stock.
(3) The
ESOP Trustee consists of three individuals without a past or present
employment history or business relationship with the Company and such
individuals are appointed by the Company’s Board of Directors. Under the
ESOP, each participant (or such participant’s beneficiary) in the ESOP is
entitled to direct the ESOP Trustee with respect to the voting of the
common stock allocated to such participant’s account. In the event such
participant does not provide such direction to the ESOP Trustee, the ESOP
Trustee votes such participant’s shares in the ESOP Trustee’s
discretion. In addition, all shares in the ESOP not allocated to
participants are voted by the ESOP Trustee in the ESOP Trustee’s
discretion. As of June 30, 2009, of the 1,753,479 shares of common
stock held by the ESOP, 1,413,438 shares were allocated to participants
and 340,041 shares remained unallocated. The number of shares reported as
beneficially owned by Edward J. Shoen, Mark V. Shoen, James P. Shoen, and
Sophia M. Shoen include common stock held directly by those individuals
and 4,415; 4,140; 4,067; and 197 shares of common stock, respectively,
allocated by the ESOP to those individuals. Those shares are also
included in the number of shares held by the ESOP.
(4)
The 11,053,278 shares constitute the shares beneficially owned by the
directors and officers of the Company as a group, including the 11,017,321
shares subject to the Stockholder Agreement discussed in footnote 1
above.
|
|
|
|
To the
best of the Company’s knowledge, there are no arrangements giving any
stockholder the right to acquire the beneficial ownership of any shares owned by
any other stockholder.
Overview
The purpose of this Compensation
Discussion and Analysis (“CD&A”) is to provide material information about
the Company’s compensation philosophy, objectives and other relevant policies
and to explain and put into context the material elements of the disclosure that
follows in this Proxy Statement with respect to the compensation of our Named
Executive Officers. For Fiscal 2009, the Company’s Named Executive
Officers were:
Edward J.
Shoen, Chairman and President of AMERCO;
Mark V.
Shoen, Vice President of U-Haul Business Consultants;
James P.
Shoen, Vice President of U-Haul Business Consultants;
Richard
M. Amoroso, President of RepWest; and
Jason A.
Berg, Principal Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer of
AMERCO.
Compensation
Philosophy and Objectives
The objectives of the Company’s
executive compensation program are to retain current executive officers, to
encourage existing personnel to self-develop and magnify functional
responsibilities and to entice qualified executives to join the Company in
executive positions as they are created or vacated. The compensation
program encourages an environment of teamwork, loyalty and fairness at all
levels of the Company.
While
this CD&A focuses on the compensation of the Named Executive Officers, the
philosophy and objectives we discuss are generally applicable to all of the
Company’s senior officers.
Implementation
of Objectives
It is the
duty of the Compensation Committee to review and determine the annual
compensation paid to the President and review the general compensation policies
for the Company’s other executive officers regularly. The
Compensation Committee and the President implement these policies while keeping
in mind the Company’s approach to overhead costs and such executive officer’s
impact on the Company’s objective of providing customers with an affordable
product and service. The Compensation Committee traditionally
delegates significant responsibility to the President for establishing and
reviewing the performance of the other Named Executive Officers, appropriate
levels and components of compensation, and any other items as the Compensation
Committee may request.
The
Compensation Committee evaluates the compensation of the President at least
annually to ensure that it is fair, reasonable and aligned with the Company’s
overall objectives. The President performs this function for the
remainder of the Named Executive Officers.
The
Compensation Committee did not utilize any benchmarking measure in Fiscal 2009
and traditionally has not tied compensation directly to a specific profitability
measurement, market value of the Company’s common stock or benchmark related to
any established peer or industry group. Rather, the Company generally
seeks to compensate individual executives commensurate with historic pay levels
for such position adjusted for time and tenure with the
Company. Salary increases are strongly correlated to the President’s
assessment of each Named Executive Officer’s performance and his recommendation
on the appropriateness of any increase. The Company also generally
seeks to increase or decrease compensation, as appropriate, based upon changes
in an executive officer’s functional responsibilities within the
Company.
The
intention of the Company has been to compensate the Named Executive Officers in
a manner that maximizes the Company’s ability to deduct such compensation
expenses for federal income tax purposes. However, the Compensation
Committee and the President have the discretion to provide compensation that is
not “performance-based” under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code when
they determine that such
compensation
is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders. For
Fiscal 2009 the Company expects to deduct all compensation expenses paid to the
Named Executive Officers.
Elements
Used to Achieve Compensation Objectives
The
principal components of the Company’s compensation program in Fiscal 2009
were:
·
|
Discretionary
cash bonus;
|
·
|
Certain
long-term incentives; and
|
Base Salary. The
Company pays its Named Executive Officers base salaries commensurate with the
scope of their job responsibilities, individual experience, performance, and the
period of time over which they have performed their duties. The base
salary is typically reviewed annually with adjustments made based upon an
analysis of performance and the addition or removal of functional
responsibilities. There are no guarantees of base salary
adjustments. The amount of base salary paid to each of the Named
Executive Officers during Fiscal 2009 is shown in the Summary Compensation Table
(“SCT”).
Discretionary Cash
Bonus. Discretionary cash bonuses are awarded on occasion to
Named Executive Officers based upon subjective criteria determined by the
Compensation Committee. These criteria may include such factors as
level of responsibility, contributions to results, and retention
considerations. The Company has not entered into any agreements
stipulating or guaranteeing bonuses for any of its Named Executive
Officers. The amount of discretionary cash bonuses paid to each of
the Named Executive Officers during Fiscal 2009 is shown in the
SCT.
Certain Long-Term
Incentives. The Company did not grant in Fiscal 2009 equity
interests to Named Executive Officers other than through its ESOP, which is
available to all employees of the Company. The Company has not
implemented any specific policy requiring its Named Executive Officers or other
officers and/or employees to own the Company’s common stock.
Other
Benefits. The Named Executive Officers participate in employee
benefits plans generally available to all full-time employees of the Company on
a non-discriminatory basis including medical, dental, vision, and prescription
drug insurance, life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance,
disability insurance, a 401(k) plan, vacation and sick pay, and postretirement
benefits. The Company does not provide other perquisites to its
executive officers, therefore such additional tables are not provided as they
are inapplicable.
Analysis
of Fiscal 2009 Compensation Decisions
The compensation amounts for Edward
“Joe” Shoen, Mark V. Shoen and James P. Shoen are established by the
Compensation Committee. The historical financial performance and their status as
significant stockholders of AMERCO are considered in this decision-making
process. As significant stockholders with their personal wealth tied to
increasing AMERCO’s value, their focus is on developing long-term success for
AMERCO.
The base salaries for Joe, Mark and
James were unchanged from Fiscal 2008.
The changes in the other Named
Executive Officers base salaries and discretionary bonuses reflected the
President’s evaluation of their job responsibilities and individual performance
during the previous fiscal years.
SUMMARY
COMPENSATION TABLE
Name
and Principal Position
|
|
Fiscal
Year
|
|
Salary
($)
|
|
|
Bonus
($)
|
|
|
Stock
Awards ($) (1)
|
|
|
All
Other Compensation ($) (2)
|
|
|
Total
Compensation ($)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Edward
J. Shoen
|
|
2009
|
|
|
675,004 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
2,429 |
|
|
|
87,500 |
|
|
|
764,933 |
|
Chairman
and President of AMERCO
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
675,004 |
|
|
|
490,000 |
|
|
|
4,647 |
|
|
|
80,000 |
|
|
|
1,239,651 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
678,004 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
5,472 |
|
|
|
80,000 |
|
|
|
763,476 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mark
V. Shoen
|
|
2009
|
|
|
623,077 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
2,429 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
625,506 |
|
Vice
President of U-Haul Business Consultants
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
623,077 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
4,647 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
627,723 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
646,154 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
5,472 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
651,626 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
James
P. Shoen
|
|
2009
|
|
|
565,962 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
2,429 |
|
|
|
53,750 |
|
|
|
622,141 |
|
Vice
President of U-Haul Business Consultants
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
565,962 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
4,647 |
|
|
|
50,000 |
|
|
|
620,609 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
568,962 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
5,472 |
|
|
|
50,000 |
|
|
|
624,424 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Richard
M. Amoroso
|
|
2009
|
|
|
285,581 |
|
|
|
60,000 |
|
|
|
2,429 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
348,010 |
|
President
of Republic Western Insurance Company
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jason
A. Berg
|
|
2009
|
|
|
203,181 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
2,168 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
205,349 |
|
Principal
Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer of AMERCO
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
183,462 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
3,807 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
187,269 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
175,385 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
4,228 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
179,613 |
|
(1) Amounts
in this column represent the compensation cost recognized for financial
statement reporting purposes under SOP 93-6 for Fiscal 2009, 2008 and 2007 with
respect to Common Stock allocated under the ESOP. Grant date fair value is the
closing price on date of grant for stock.
(2) Amounts
in this column represent annual fees paid to each Named Executive Officer in his
capacity as a Director of the Company or U-Haul or as a member of a committee of
the AMERCO Board.
Director
Compensation
The
Company’s director compensation program is designed to fairly pay directors for
their time and efforts on behalf of AMERCO and its direct subsidiaries, as the
case may be, in recognition of their fiduciary obligations to stockholders and
for their liability exposure. Directors are primarily compensated in
the form of a cash fee. The Company offers no stock options or grants
to its directors. For Fiscal 2010 the annual fee for all services as
a Director of the Company is $55,000. Additionally, Audit Committee,
Advisory Board and Independent Governance Committee members receive a $55,000
annual fee for service on such committee, and Executive Finance Committee and
Compensation Committee members receive a $25,000 annual fee. The
Company also reimburses Directors and the non-Director committee members for the
incidental costs associated with their attendance at Board and committee
meetings. These amounts are paid in equal monthly installments.
Director fees paid to Edward J. Shoen and James P. Shoen are included in the
Summary Compensation Table directly above.
DIRECTOR
COMPENSATION
Name of Director
|
|
Year
|
|
Fees
Earned or Paid in Cash
($)
|
|
|
All
Other Compensation
($)
|
|
|
Total
Compensation ($)
|
|
Charles
J. Bayer (1), (2), (3)
|
|
2009
|
|
|
131,250 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
131,250 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John
P. Brogan (1), (2), (3), (4)
|
|
2009
|
|
|
155,000 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
155,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John
M. Dodds (1), (2), (4), (7), (9)
|
|
2009
|
|
|
141,250 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
141,250 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Michael
L. Gallagher (1), (5)
|
|
2009
|
|
|
107,500 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
107,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
M.
Frank Lyons (1)
|
|
2009
|
|
|
53,750 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
53,750 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Daniel
R. Mullen (1), (2), (7), (8), (9)
|
|
2009
|
|
|
117,500 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
117,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Paul
A. Bible (5)
|
|
2009
|
|
|
53,750 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
53,750 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Barbara
Campbell (6)
|
|
2009
|
|
|
53,750 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
53,750 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas
W. Hayes (5)
|
|
2009
|
|
|
53,750 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
53,750 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Richard
J. Herrera (6)
|
|
2009
|
|
|
53,750 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
53,750 |
|
(1)
AMERCO Director
|
(7)
U-Haul Board Member
|
(2)
Audit Committee Member
|
(8)
Oxford Board Member
|
(3)
Executive Finance Committee Member
|
(9)
Real Estate Board Member
|
(4)
Compensation Committee Member
|
|
(5)
Independent Governance Committee Member
|
|
(6)
Advisory Board Member
|
|
The
Compensation Committee has reviewed and discussed with management the
Compensation Discussion and Analysis prepared by management and included in this
Proxy Statement for the 2009 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. In reliance on
these reviews and discussions with management, the Compensation Committee
recommended to the Board of Directors of AMERCO, and the Board of Directors has
approved, that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis be included in the Proxy
Statement for the 2009 Annual Meeting of Stockholders for filing with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
This
report is submitted by the Compensation Committee.
John P.
Brogan John
M. Dodds
Pursuant
to Item 407(e)(5) of Regulation S-K this “Compensation Committee Report” shall
not be deemed to be filed with the SEC for purposes of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended (“Exchange Act”), nor shall such report be deemed to be
incorporated by reference in any past or future filing by the Company under the
Exchange Act or the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”),
unless the intention to do so is expressly indicated.
The Audit
Committee is comprised of four independent directors and operates under a
written charter recommended by the Audit Committee and adopted by the Board of
Directors. Each member of the Audit Committee meets the independence
requirements of NASDAQ and the SEC rules and regulations.
Management
is responsible for the Company’s internal controls and the financial reporting
process. The independent registered public accounting firm is
responsible for performing an independent audit of the Company’s consolidated
financial statements in accordance with the standards of the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and to issue a report
thereon. The Audit Committee’s responsibility is to monitor and
oversee these processes.
In this
context, management represented to the Audit Committee that the Company’s
consolidated financial statements were prepared in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles, and the Audit Committee has reviewed and
discussed the consolidated financial statements with management and the
independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee
reviewed and discussed with the independent registered public accounting firm
the matters required to be discussed by Statement on Auditing Standards No. 61
as amended (Communication with Audit Committees) as adopted by the Public
Company Accounting Oversight Board in Rule 3200T.
The
Company’s independent registered public accounting firm also provided to the
Audit Committee the written disclosures and the letter required by Rule 3526
(Communication with Audit Committee Concerning Independence) as adopted by the
Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and the Audit Committee discussed with
the independent registered public accounting firm that firm’s
independence.
Based on
the Audit Committee’s discussions with management and the independent registered
public accounting firm and its review of the representation of management and
the report of the independent registered public accounting firm to the Audit
Committee, the Audit Committee recommended that the Board of Directors include
the audited consolidated financial statements in the Company’s Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2009 filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission.
John P.
Brogan Charles
J.
Bayer John
M.
Dodds Daniel
R. Mullen
Pursuant to Instruction 1 to Item
407(d) of Regulation S-K, the information set forth under “Audit Committee
Report” shall not be deemed to be “soliciting material” or to be “filed” with
the SEC or subject to Regulation 14A or 14C, other than as provided in Item 407
of Regulation S-K, or to the liabilities of Section 18 of the Exchange Act,
except to the extent that we specifically request that the information be
treated as soliciting material or specifically incorporate it by reference into
a document filed under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act. Such information
will not be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing under the
Securities Act or the Exchange Act, except to the extent we specifically
incorporate it by reference.
The
Company’s executive officers are:
Name
|
Age *
|
Office
|
Edward
J. Shoen
|
60
|
Chairman
of the Board and President of AMERCO
|
Richard
M. Amoroso
|
50
|
President
of Republic Western Insurance Company
|
Jason
A. Berg
|
36
|
Principal
Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer of
AMERCO
|
Laurence
J. DeRespino
|
48
|
General
Counsel
|
Ronald
C. Frank
|
68
|
Executive
Vice President of U-Haul field operations
|
Mark
A. Haydukovich
|
52
|
President
of Oxford Life Insurance Company
|
Gary
B. Horton
|
65
|
Treasurer
of AMERCO and U-Haul
|
Robert
T. Peterson
|
58
|
Controller
of U-Haul
|
James
P. Shoen
|
49
|
Vice
President of U-Haul Business
Consultants
|
Name
|
Age *
|
Office
|
Mark
V. Shoen
|
58
|
Vice
President of U-Haul Business Consultants
|
John
C. Taylor
|
51
|
President
of U-Haul
|
Carlos
Vizcarra
|
62
|
President
of Amerco Real Estate Company
|
Rocky
D. Wardrip
|
51
|
Assistant
Treasurer of AMERCO and U-Haul
|
Robert
R. Willson
|
58
|
Executive
Vice President of U-Haul field operations
|
|
|
|
*
Ages are as of June 30, 2009.
|
|
|
See
“Election of Directors” for information regarding Edward J. Shoen and James P.
Shoen.
Richard
M. Amoroso has served as President of RepWest, a subsidiary of the Company,
since August 2000. He was Assistant General Counsel of U-Haul from
1993 until February 2000. He served as Assistant General Counsel of
ON Semiconductor Corporation from February to August 2000.
Jason A.
Berg has served as Principal Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer of
the Company since 2005. Prior to his appointment he served as
Treasurer and Secretary of Oxford. He has been with the Company since
1996.
Laurence
J. DeRespino has served as General Counsel for the Company since
2005. He has been an attorney for the Company since
2000.
Ronald C.
Frank has served as Executive Vice President of U-Haul field operations since
1998. He has been associated with the Company since 1959.
Mark A.
Haydukovich has served as President of Oxford since 1997. From 1980 to 1997 he
served as Vice President of Oxford.
Gary B.
Horton has served as Treasurer of the Company since 1982. He has been
associated with the Company since 1969.
Robert T.
Peterson has served as Controller of U-Haul since joining the Company in 2002.
He has held a number of executive positions in the transportation industry and
is presently Chief Financial Officer of U-Haul.
Mark V.
Shoen has served as a Director of the Company from 1990 until
1997. He has served as a Director of U-Haul from 1990 until 1997 and
as President, Phoenix Operations, from 1994 to 2007. He is currently Vice
President of U-Haul Business Consultants.
John C.
(JT) Taylor has served as Director of U-Haul since 1990. He has been associated
with the Company since 1981 and was named President of U-Haul in
2006.
Carlos
Vizcarra has served as President of Amerco Real Estate Company, since
2000. He began his previous position as Vice President/Storage
Product Group for U-Haul in 1988.
Rocky D.
Wardrip has served as Assistant Treasurer of the Company since 1990. He has been
associated with the Company since 1978 in various capacities within accounting
and treasury operations.
Robert R.
Willson has served as Executive Vice President of field operations since 2006.
He has been employed by U-Haul since 1980 and has held various executive
positions, including Area District Vice President, Marketing Company President
and General Manager.
Edward
J., Mark V., and James P. Shoen are brothers. M. Frank Lyons, a Director of the
Company, was married to an aunt of Edward J. and Mark V. Shoen.
As set
forth in the Audit Committee Charter the Audit Committee reviews and maintains
oversight over related-party transactions which are required to be disclosed
under SEC rules and regulations. Accordingly, all such related-party
transactions are submitted to the Audit Committee for ongoing review and
oversight. The Company’s internal processes ensure that the Company’s
legal and/or finance departments identify and monitor potential related-party
transactions which may require disclosure and Audit Committee
oversight.
AMERCO
has engaged in related party transactions, and has continuing related party
interests, with certain major stockholders, directors and officers of the
consolidated group as disclosed below. Management believes that the transactions
described below were consummated on terms equivalent to those that would prevail
in arm’s-length transactions.
Samuel J.
Shoen, the son of Edward J. Shoen, is employed by U-Haul as Vice
President. Mr. Shoen was paid an aggregate salary and bonus of
$188,008 for his services during fiscal 2009.
SAC
Holding Corporation and SAC Holding II Corporation (collectively, “SAC
Holdings”) were established in order to acquire self-storage properties. These
properties are being managed by the Company pursuant to management agreements.
In the past, the Company has sold various self-storage properties to SAC
Holdings, and such sales provided significant cash flows to the
Company.
Management
believes that its past sales of self-storage properties to SAC Holdings has
provided a unique structure for the Company to earn moving equipment rental
revenues and property management fee revenues from the SAC Holdings self-storage
properties that the Company manages.
During
fiscal 2009, subsidiaries of the Company held various junior unsecured notes of
SAC Holdings. Substantially all of the equity interest of SAC Holdings is
controlled by Blackwater, wholly-owned by Mark V. Shoen, a significant
stockholder and executive officer of AMERCO. The Company does not have an equity
ownership interest in SAC Holdings. The Company recorded interest income of
$18.4 million, $18.6 million and $19.2 million, and received cash interest
payments of $14.1 million, $19.2 million and $44.5 million, from SAC Holdings
during fiscal 2009, 2008 and 2007, respectively. The cash interest payments for
fiscal 2007 included a payment to significantly reduce the outstanding interest
receivable from SAC Holdings. The largest aggregate amount of notes receivable
outstanding during fiscal 2009 was $198.1 million and the aggregate notes
receivable balance at March 31, 2009 was $197.6 million. In accordance with the
terms of these notes, SAC Holdings may repay the notes without penalty or
premium.
Interest
accrues on the outstanding principal balance of junior notes of SAC Holdings
that the Company holds at a rate of 9% per annum. A fixed portion of that basic
interest is paid on a monthly basis. Additional interest can be earned on notes
totaling $122.2 million of principal depending upon the amount of remaining
basic interest and the cash flow generated by the underlying property. This
amount is referred to as the “cash flow-based calculation.”
To the
extent that this cash flow-based calculation exceeds the amount of remaining
basic interest, contingent interest would be paid on the same monthly date as
the fixed portion of basic interest. To the extent that the cash flow-based
calculation is less than the amount of remaining basic interest, the additional
interest payable on the applicable monthly date is limited to the amount of that
cash flow-based calculation. In such a case, the excess of the remaining basic
interest over the cash flow-based calculation is deferred. In addition, subject
to certain contingencies, the junior notes provide that the holder of the note
is entitled to receive a portion of the appreciation realized upon, among other
things, the sale of such property by SAC Holdings. To date, no excess cash flows
related to these arrangements have been earned or paid.
During
fiscal 2009, AMERCO and U-Haul held various junior notes from Private Mini
Storage Realty, L.P. (“Private Mini”). The equity interests of Private Mini are
ultimately controlled by Blackwater. The Company recorded interest income of
$5.3 million, $5.1 million and $5.0 million, and received cash interest payments
of $5.3 million, $5.1 million and $5.0 million, from Private Mini during fiscal
2009, 2008 and 2007, respectively. The balance of notes receivable from Private
Mini at March 31, 2009 was $68.2 million. The largest aggregate amount
outstanding during fiscal 2009 was $69.1 million.
The
Company currently manages the self-storage properties owned or leased by SAC
Holdings, Mercury Partners, L.P. (“Mercury”), Four SAC Self-Storage Corporation
(“4 SAC”), Five SAC Self-Storage Corporation (“5 SAC”), Galaxy Investments, L.P.
(“Galaxy”), and Private Mini pursuant to a standard form of management
agreement, under which the Company receives a management fee of between 4% and
10% of the gross receipts plus reimbursement for certain expenses. The Company
received management fees, exclusive of reimbursed expenses, of $24.3 million,
$23.7 million and $23.5 million from the above mentioned entities during fiscal
2009, 2008 and 2007, respectively. This management fee is consistent with the
fee received for other properties the Company previously managed for third
parties. SAC Holdings, 4 SAC, 5 SAC, Galaxy and Private Mini are substantially
controlled by Blackwater. Mercury is substantially controlled by Mark V. Shoen.
James P. Shoen, a significant stockholder and director of AMERCO, has an
interest in Mercury.
The
Company leases space for marketing company offices, vehicle repair shops and
hitch installation centers from subsidiaries of SAC Holdings, 5 SAC and Galaxy.
Total lease payments pursuant to such leases were $2.4 million, $2.1 million and
$2.7 million for fiscal 2009, 2008 and 2007, respectively. The terms of the
leases are similar to the terms of leases for other properties owned by
unrelated parties that are leased to the Company.
At March
31, 2009, subsidiaries of SAC Holdings, 4 SAC, 5 SAC, Galaxy and Private Mini
acted as U-Haul independent dealers. The financial and other terms of the
dealership contracts with the aforementioned companies and their subsidiaries
are substantially identical to the terms of those with the Company’s other
independent dealers whereby commissions are paid by the Company based upon
equipment rental revenue. During fiscal 2009, 2008 and 2007 the Company paid the
above mentioned entities $34.7 million, $36.0 million and $36.6 million,
respectively in commissions pursuant to such dealership contracts.
These
agreements and notes with subsidiaries of SAC Holdings, 4 SAC, 5 SAC, Galaxy and
Private Mini, excluding dealer agreements, provided revenue of $43.2 million,
expenses of $2.4 million and cash flows of $38.1 million during fiscal 2009.
Revenues and commission expenses related to the dealer agreements were $164.0
million and $34.7 million, respectively.
In prior
years, Real Estate sold various properties to SAC Holdings and its affiliates at
prices in excess of Real Estate’s carrying values, resulting in gains which were
deferred and treated as additional paid-in capital. The transferred properties
had historically been stated at the original cost basis as the gains were
eliminated in consolidation. In March 2004, these deferred gains were recognized
and treated as contributions from a related party in the amount of $111.0
million as a result of the deconsolidation of SAC Holding
Corporation. In November 2007, the remaining portion of these
deferred gains was recognized and treated as contributions from a related party
in the amount of $46.1 million as a result of the deconsolidation of SAC Holding
II Corporation.
The
disclosure in this section is required by the federal securities laws because
the plaintiff, Paul F. Shoen, is the brother of one or more directors, officers
and 5% stockholders.
In September 2002, Paul F. Shoen filed
a stockholder derivative lawsuit in the Second Judicial District Court of the
State of Nevada, Washoe County, captioned Paul F. Shoen vs. SAC
Holding Corporation et al., CV 02-05602, seeking damages and equitable
relief on behalf of AMERCO from SAC Holdings and certain current and former
members of the AMERCO Board of Directors, including Edward J. Shoen, Mark V.
Shoen and James P. Shoen as Defendants. AMERCO is named as a nominal Defendant
in the case. The complaint alleges breach of fiduciary duty, self-dealing,
usurpation of corporate opportunities, wrongful interference with prospective
economic advantage and unjust enrichment and seeks the unwinding of sales of
self-storage properties by subsidiaries of AMERCO to SAC prior to the filing of
the complaint. The complaint seeks a declaration that such transfers are void as
well as unspecified damages. In October 2002, the Defendants filed motions to
dismiss the complaint. Also in October 2002, Ron Belec filed a derivative action
in the Second Judicial District Court of the State of Nevada, Washoe County,
captioned Ron Belec
vs. William E. Carty, et al., CV 02-06331 and in January 2003, M.S.
Management Company, Inc. filed a derivative action in the Second Judicial
District Court of the State of Nevada, Washoe County, captioned M.S. Management Company,
Inc. vs. William E. Carty, et al., CV 03-00386. Two additional derivative
suits were also filed against these parties. Each of these suits is
substantially similar to the Paul F. Shoen case. The Court consolidated the five
cases and thereafter dismissed these actions in May 2003, concluding that the
AMERCO Board of Directors had the requisite level of independence required in
order to have these claims
resolved
by the Board. Plaintiffs appealed this decision and, in July 2006, the Nevada
Supreme Court reversed the ruling of the trial court and remanded the case to
the trial court for proceedings consistent with its ruling, allowing the
Plaintiffs to file an amended complaint and plead in addition to substantive
claims, demand futility.
In November 2006, the Plaintiffs filed
an amended complaint. In December 2006, the Defendants filed motions to dismiss,
based on various legal theories. In March 2007, the Court denied AMERCO’s motion
to dismiss regarding the issue of demand futility, stating that “Plaintiffs have
satisfied the heightened pleading requirements of demand futility by showing a
majority of the members of the AMERCO Board of Directors were interested parties
in the SAC transactions.” The Court heard oral argument on the remainder of the
Defendants’ motions to dismiss, including the motion (“Goldwasser Motion”) based
on the fact that the subject matter of the lawsuit had been settled and
dismissed in earlier litigation known as Goldwasser v. Shoen,
C.V.N.-94-00810-ECR (D.Nev.), Washoe County, Nevada. In addition, in September
and October 2007, the Defendants filed Motions for Judgment on the Pleadings or
in the Alternative Summary Judgment, based on the fact that the stockholders of
the Company had ratified the underlying transactions at the 2007 annual meeting
of stockholders of AMERCO. In December 2007, the Court denied this motion. This
ruling does not preclude a renewed motion for summary judgment after discovery
and further proceedings on these issues. On April 7, 2008, the litigation was
dismissed, on the basis of the Goldwasser Motion. On May 8, 2008, the Plaintiffs
filed a notice of appeal of such dismissal to the Nevada Supreme Court. On May
20, 2008, AMERCO filed a cross appeal relating to the denial of its Motion to
Dismiss in regards to Demand Futility. The appeals are currently pending and the
issues will be fully briefed before the Nevada Supreme Court by September 13,
2009.
RELATIONSHIP WITH INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING
FIRM
BDO
Seidman, LLP served as the Company’s principal independent registered public
accounting firm since August 2002 and the Audit Committee has selected BDO
Seidman, LLP to audit AMERCO’s financial statements for fiscal
2010. Representatives of BDO Seidman, LLP are expected to be present
at the Annual Meeting. The following table shows the fees that AMERCO
and its consolidated entities paid or accrued for the audit and other services
provided by BDO Seidman, LLP for fiscal 2009 and 2008.
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March
31,
|
|
|
|
2009
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
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(in
thousands)
|
|
Audit
fees
|
|
$ |
3,341 |
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|
$ |
3,656 |
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Audit-related
fees
|
|
|
66 |
|
|
|
60 |
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Tax
fees
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
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All
other fees
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|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
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Total
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|
$ |
3,407 |
|
|
$ |
3,716 |
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Audit Fees. This category
includes the audit of AMERCO’s annual financial statements and the effectiveness
of internal control over financial reporting as of fiscal year end, review of
financial statements included in AMERCO’s Form 10-Q quarterly reports, and
services that are normally provided by the independent registered public
accounting firm in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or
engagements for those fiscal years. This category also includes advice on
accounting matters that arose during, or as a result of, the audit or the review
of interim financial statements, statutory audits required by U.S. jurisdictions
and the preparation of an annual “management letter” on internal control
matters.
Audit-Related Fees. This
category consists of assurance and related services provided by BDO Seidman, LLP
that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of
AMERCO’s financial statements and are not reported above under “Audit Fees.” The
services for the fees disclosed under this category include benefit plan
audits.
Each
year, the Audit Committee approves the annual audit engagement in
advance. The Audit Committee also has established procedures to
pre-approve all non-audit services provided by the independent registered public
accounting
firm. All Fiscal 2009 non-audit services listed above were
pre-approved. The Audit Committee has determined that the provision
of services by BDO Seidman, LLP described in the preceding paragraphs were
compatible with maintaining BDO Seidman, LLP’s independence as the Company’s
principal independent registered public accounting firm.
REGISTERED
PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
BDO
Seidman, LLP currently serves as the Company’s independent registered public
accounting firm, and has conducted the audit of the Company’s accounts since
2002. The Audit Committee has appointed BDO Seidman, LLP to serve as the
independent registered public accounting firm to conduct an audit of our
accounts for Fiscal 2010.
Selection
of the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm is not required
to be submitted to a vote of the stockholders for ratification. The
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires the Audit Committee to be directly
responsible for the appointment, compensation and oversight of the audit work of
the independent registered public accounting firm. However, the Board of
Directors has elected to submit the selection of BDO Seidman, LLP as the
Company’s independent registered public accounting firm to stockholders for
ratification as a matter of good corporate practice. Even if stockholders vote
on an advisory basis in favor of the appointment, the Audit Committee may, in
its discretion, direct the appointment of a different independent registered
public accounting firm at any time during the year if it determines that such a
change would be in the best interests of the Company and our
stockholders.
Representatives
of BDO Seidman, LLP are expected to be present at the annual meeting. They will
have the opportunity to make a statement if they desire to do so and are
expected to be available to respond to appropriate questions.
STOCKHOLDER
PROPOSAL
On
September 24, 2008, the Company received a stockholder proposal which contained
the two motions detailed below:
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We
do here by submit a proposal for inclusion in the AMERCO 2009 Annual
Meeting Proxy Statement that all decisions and actions made by the AMERCO
Board of Directors and Executive Officers, with respect to AMERCO and its
subsidiaries, for the time frame of April 1, 2008 through March 31, 2009,
be ratified and affirmed.
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Reason for Making the
Proposal:
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To
support the AMERCO Board of Directors and Executive Officers on their
decisions for these time periods. We believe the Company is headed in a
positive direction due to their leadership and guidance.
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Relevant
Notices:
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1)
We do not have any material interest in the subject matter of the
proposal.
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2)
We are not members of any partnership, limited partnership, syndicate or
other group pursuant to any agreement, arrangement, relationship,
understanding, or otherwise, whether or not in writing, organized in whole
or in part for the purpose of acquiring, owning or voting shares of AMERCO
stock.
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3)
The above stockholders have continuously held at least $2,000.00 in market
value of AMERCO shares and we intend to hold the stock through the date of
the annual meeting.
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We
do here by submit a proposal for inclusion in the AMERCO 2009 Annual
Meeting Proxy Statement that on a going forward basis in all AMERCO Annual
Meeting Proxy Statements subsequent to the 2009 Annual Meeting Proxy
Statement, that AMERCO include on the ballot and in the annual meeting
materials for such respective annual meetings a stockholder proposal from
the undersigned stockholder proponents (or such other
stockholder proponent(s) as may make the request, or as a management
proposal in the event the undersigned are no longer stockholders of the
Company and no comparable proposal is received from another stockholder),
that all decisions and actions made by the AMERCO Board of Directors and
Executive Officers, with respect to AMERCO and its subsidiaries, for the
time frame of April 1 of the year prior to the date of such Proxy
Statement through March 31 of the year of such Proxy Statement,
be ratified and affirmed.
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Reason for Making the
Proposal:
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|
|
To
support the AMERCO Board of Directors and Executive Officers on their
decisions for these time periods. We believe the Company is headed in a
positive direction due to their leadership and guidance.
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Relevant
Notices:
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|
|
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1)
We do not have any material interest in the subject matter of the
proposal.
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2)
We are not members of any partnership, limited partnership, syndicate or
other group pursuant to any agreement, arrangement, relationship,
understanding, or otherwise, whether or not in writing, organized in whole
or in part for the purpose of acquiring, owning or voting shares of AMERCO
stock.
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3)
The above stockholders have continuously held at least $2,000.00 in market
value of AMERCO shares and we intend to hold the stock through the date of
the annual meeting.
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In regard
to the Stockholder Proposal, reference is hereby made to the Company’s 2009
Annual Report, as well as the Company’s other filings with the
SEC, for disclosures relating to the Company.
SECTION 16(a) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING
COMPLIANCE
Section
16(a) of the Exchange Act requires the Company’s directors and executive
officers, and persons who own more than 10% of a registered class of the
Company’s equity securities, to file reports of ownership of, and transactions
in, the Company’s securities with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. Such directors, executive officers and 10% stockholders
are also required to furnish the Company with copies of all Section 16(a) forms
they file.
Based
solely on a review of the data available on www.sec.gov, the
Company believes that during Fiscal 2009, all required Section 16(a) filings by
its directors, officers and 10% stockholders were filed on a timely basis, with
the exception of three transactions involving purchases of the Company’s Series
A 8 ½% Preferred Stock. In each of such three instances, the Form 4 report was
filed less than twenty-four hurs after the requisite filing
deadline.
For
inclusion in the proxy statement and form of proxy relating to the 2010 Annual
Meeting of Stockholders of AMERCO, a stockholder proposal intended for
presentation at that meeting must be submitted in accordance with the applicable
rules of the SEC and received by the Secretary of AMERCO, c/o U-Haul
International, Inc., 2721 North Central Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85004, on or
before March 16, 2010. Stockholder proposals submitted outside the processes of
Rule 14a-8 will be considered untimely if submitted after May 28, 2010. If a
stockholder submits a proposal after the close of business on May 28, 2010, the
Company’s proxy holders will be allowed to use their discretionary authority to
vote against the proposal when and if the proposal is raised at the 2010 Annual
Meeting. Proposals to be presented at the 2010 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of
AMERCO that are not intended for inclusion in the proxy statement and form of
proxy must be submitted by that date and in
accordance
with the applicable provisions of the Company’s Bylaws, a copy of which is
available upon written request, delivered to the Secretary of AMERCO at the
address in the preceding sentence. The Company suggests that proponents submit
their proposals to the Secretary of AMERCO by Certified Mail-Return Receipt
Requested.
A copy of
the Company’s Annual Report for the year ended March 31, 2009 may be viewed and
downloaded from www.proxyvote.com,
from the Company’s Investor Relations website at http://www.amerco.com,
may be requested via e-mail through either such website, or may be requested
telephonically at 1-800-579-1639. The Annual Report is not to be regarded as
proxy solicitation material.
With
respect to Company stockholders’ meetings following the 2009 Annual Meeting, the
Company anticipates to continue furnishing proxy materials to stockholders by
posting such materials on an Internet website in accordance with applicable
laws, and providing stockholders with notice of Internet availability of such
materials. Paper copies of such materials will be available to stockholders on
request, for a period of one year, at no cost, in accordance with applicable
laws.
UPON
REQUEST, THE COMPANY WILL PROVIDE BY FIRST CLASS US MAIL, TO EACH STOCKHOLDER OF
RECORD AS OF THE RECORD DATE, WITHOUT CHARGE, A COPY OF THIS PROXY STATEMENT,
THE PROXY CARD, AND THE COMPANY’S ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K FOR THE FISCAL
YEARS ENDED MARCH 31, 2008 AND MARCH 31, 2009, INCLUDING THE REQUIRED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES. WRITTEN REQUESTS FOR THIS
INFORMATION SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO: DIRECTOR, FINANCIAL REPORTING, U-HAUL
INTERNATIONAL, INC., P.O. BOX 21502, PHOENIX, ARIZONA 85036-1502.
AMERCO
2009 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
August 27, 2009
Phoenix,
Arizona
MEETING
PROCEDURES
In
fairness to all stockholders attending the 2009 Annual Meeting, and in the
interest of an orderly meeting, we ask you to honor the following:
A.
Admission to the meeting is limited to stockholders of record or their proxies.
Stockholders of record voting by proxy will not be admitted to the meeting
unless their proxies are revoked, in which case the holders of the revoked
proxies will not be permitted to attend the meeting. The meeting will not be
open to the public. The media will not be given access to the meeting through
the proxy process.
B. With
the exception of cameras and recording devices provided by the Company, cameras
and recording devices of all kinds (including stenographic) are prohibited in
the meeting room.
C. After
calling the meeting to order, the Chairman will require the registration of all
stockholders intending to vote in person, and the filing of all proxies with the
teller. After the announced time for such filing of proxies has ended, no
further proxies or changes, substitutions, or revocations of proxies will be
accepted. (Bylaws, Article II, Section 9)
D. The
Chairman of the meeting has absolute authority to determine the order of
business to be conducted at the meeting and to establish rules for, and appoint
personnel to assist in, preserving the orderly conduct of the business of the
meeting (including any informal, or question-and answer, portions thereof).
(Bylaws, Article II, Section 9)
E. When
an item is before the meeting for consideration, questions and comments are to
be confined to that item only.
F.
Pursuant to Article II, Section 5 of the Company's Bylaws, only such business
(including director nominations) as shall have been properly brought before the
meeting shall be conducted.
Pursuant
to the Company's Bylaws, in order to be properly brought before the meeting,
such business must have either been (1) specified in the written notice of the
meeting given to stockholders on the record date for such meeting by or at the
direction of the Board of Directors, (2) brought before the meeting at the
direction of the Board of Directors or the Chairman of the meeting, or (3)
specified in a written notice given by or on behalf of a stockholder on the
record date for such meeting entitled to vote thereat or a duly authorized proxy
for such stockholder, in accordance with all of the following
requirements.
a) Such
notice must have been delivered personally to, or mailed to and received at, the
principal executive office of the corporation, addressed to the attention of the
Secretary no later than March 6, 2009.
b) Such
notice must have set forth:
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i.
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a
full description of each such item of business proposed to be brought
before the meeting and the reasons for conducting such business at such
meeting,
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ii.
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the
name and address of the person proposing to bring such business before the
meeting,
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iii.
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the
class and number of shares held of record, held beneficially, and
represented by proxy by such person as of the record date for the meeting,
Exhibit A - Meeting Rules. pdf
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EXHIBIT
A
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iv.
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if
any item of such business involves a nomination for director, all
information regarding each such nominee that would be required to be set
forth in a definitive proxy statement filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission ("SEC") pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act, as
amended, or any successor thereto (the "Exchange Act"), and the written
consent of each such nominee to serve if
elected,
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v.
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any
material interest of such stockholder in the specified
business,
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vi.
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whether
or not such stockholder is a member of any partnership, limited
partnership, syndicate, or other group pursuant to any agreement,
arrangement, relationship, understanding, or otherwise, whether or not in
writing, organized in whole or in part for the purpose of acquiring,
owning, or voting shares of the corporation,
and
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vii.
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all
other information that would be required to be filed with the SEC if, with
respect to the business proposed to be brought before the meeting, the
person proposing such business was a participant in a solicitation subject
to Section 14 of the Exchange Act.
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No
business shall be brought before any meeting of the Company's stockholders
otherwise than as provided in this Section. The Chairman of the meeting may, if
the facts warrant, determine that any proposed item of business or nomination as
director was not brought before the meeting in accordance with the foregoing
procedure, and if he should so determine, he shall so declare to the meeting and
the improper item of business or nomination shall be disregarded.
G. At
the appropriate time, any stockholder who wishes to address the meeting should
do so only upon being recognized by the Chairman of the meeting. After such
recognition, please state your name, whether you are a stockholder or a proxy
for a stockholder, and, if you are a proxy, name the stockholder you represent.
All matters should be concisely presented.
H. A
person otherwise entitled to attend the meeting will cease to be so entitled if,
in the judgment of the Chairman of the meeting, such person engages in
disorderly conduct impeding the proper conduct of the meeting against the
interests of all stockholders as a group. (Bylaws, Article II, Section
6)
I. If
there are any questions remaining after the meeting is adjourned, please take
them up with the representatives of the Company at the Secretary's desk. Also,
any matters of a personal nature that concern you as a stockholder should be
referred to these representatives after the meeting.
J. The
views, constructive comments and criticisms from stockholders are welcome.
However, it is requested that no matter be brought up that is irrelevant to the
business of the Company.
K. It. is
requested that common courtesy be observed at all times.
Our
objective is to encourage open communication and the free expression of ideas,
and to conduct an informative and meaningful meeting in a fair and orderly
manner. Your cooperation will be sincerely appreciated.
September
24, 2008
Donald J
Cerimeli
ESOP 954 Shares
John
F. Mikel
ESOP
1162 Shares
AMERCO
C/o
U-Haul International, Inc.
2727 N.
Central Avenue
Phoenix,
AZ 85004
Attn: Corporate
Secretary
Re: Shareholder
Proposals
Proposal
#1
We do
here by submit a proposal for inclusion in the AMERCO 2009 Annual Meeting Proxy
Statement that all decisions and actions made by the AMERCO Board of Directors
and Executive Officers, with respect to AMERCO and its subsidiaries, for the
time frame of April 1, 2008 through March 31, 2009, be ratified and
affirmed.
Proposal
#2
We do
here by submit a proposal for inclusion in the AMERCO 2009 Annual Meeting Proxy
Statement that on a going forward basis in all AMERCO Annual Meeting Proxy
Statements subsequent to the 2009 Annual Meeting Proxy Statement, that AMERCO
include on the ballot and in the annual meeting materials for such respective
annual meetings a shareholder proposal from the undersigned
shareholder proponents (or such other shareholder proponent(s) as may
make the request, or as a management proposal in the event the undersigned are
no longer stockholders of the Company and no comparable proposal is received
from another stockholder), that all decisions and actions made by the AMERCO
Board of Directors and Executive Officers, with respect to AMERCO and its
subsidiaries, for the time frame of April 1 of the year prior to the date of
such Proxy Statement through March 31 of the year of such Proxy
Statement, be ratified and affirmed.
Reason for Making the above
Proposals:
To
support the AMERCO Board of Directors and Executive Officers on their decisions
for these time periods. We believe the Company is headed in a positive direction
due to their leadership and guidance.
Relevant
Notices:
1)
|
We
do not have any material interest in the subject matter of
the proposal.
|
2)
|
We
are not a member of any partnership, limited partnership, syndicate or
other group pursuant to any agreement, arrangement, relationship,
understanding, or otherwise, whether or not in writing, organized in whole
or in part for the purpose of acquiring ,owning or voting shares of AMERCO
stock.
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3)
|
We
have continuously held at least $2,000 in market value of AMERCO shares
and we intend to hold the stock through the date of the 2009 Annual
Meeting.
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Donald J.
Cerimeli John
F. Mikel
/s/ Donald J.
Cerimeli /s/ John F.
Mikel