Note 10 - Related Party Transactions

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

Notes to Financial Statements

Related Party Transactions Disclosure [Text Block]

10. Related Party Transactions

SPAR's policy respecting approval of transactions with related persons, promoters and control persons is contained in the SPAR Group Code of Ethical Conduct for its Directors, Executives, Officers, Employees, Consultants and other Representatives Amended and Restated (as of) March 15, 2018 (the "Ethics Code").

SPAR's Audit Committee has the specific duty and responsibility to review and approve the overall fairness to the Company and terms of all material related-party transactions and payments. The Audit Committee periodically (often annually) reviewed, in accordance with the Audit Committee Charter, the Ethics Code, the Nasdaq rules and other applicable law to ensure that the overall economic and other terms will be (or continue to be) no less favorable to the Company than would be the case in an arms-length contract with an unrelated provider of similar services (i.e., its overall fairness to the Company, including pricing, payments to related parties and the ability to provide services at comparable performance levels). The Audit Committee periodically reviews all related party relationships and transactions.

Domestic Related Party Transactions 

Change of Control, Voting and Restricted Stock Agreement

Approved by the majority of the Board and the Audit Committee and accepted by the Majority Stockholders defined below on December 31, 2021, and signed and effective January 28, 2022, SGRP entered into the Change of Control, Voting and Restricted Stock Agreement ("CIC Agreement"), by and among SGRP, Robert G. Brown, ("Mr. Brown"), William H. Bartels, ("Mr. Bartels"), SPAR Administrative Services, Inc., a corporation ("SAS"), and SPAR Business Services, Inc., a corporation ("SBS"), and collectively with Mr. Brown, Mr. Bartels and SAS, the ("Majority Stockholders") (the "Agreement"). Mr. Bartels and Mr. Brown are Directors of SPAR Company. Mr. Brown was the Chairman of the Board of Directors of SGRP (the "Board"), but ceased holding that position when the 2022 By-Laws became effective on January 25, 2022.

The financial terms of the CIC Agreement to the Majority Stockholders, totaling $4,477,585, consists the following:

a. The Corporation will issue to the Majority Stockholders 2,000,000 restricted shares of Series B Preferred Stock which are convertible into SGRP Shares subject to the conversion ratio as set forth in the CIC Agreement of 1:1.5 basis, subject to adjustment for a forward or reverse share split, share dividend, or similar transactions. These shares will vest over time upon execution of the CIC Agreement through November 10, 2023 in 5 phases, assuming the Majority Stockholders' ongoing compliance with the terms and conditions of the CIC Agreement. Series B Preferred Shares may only be transferred to affiliates and certain related parties of the Majority Stockholders if those affiliates and certain related parties execute a joinder to the CIC Agreement. The Series B Preferred Stock was valued at $3,690,000 in total, based on the SGRP stock price on December 31, 2021 of $1.23 per share over 3,000,000 SGRP shares.

b. The Corporation made a $250,000 cash payment to Mr. Brown and agreed to reimburse up to $35,000 of the legal expenses of the Majority Stockholders that were incurred after January 1, 2021 in connection with the negotiation and execution of the CIC Agreement.

c. The Corporation assumed financial responsibility for, and will pay directly to Affinity Insurance Company, Ltd., $502,585 to settle SAS obligations and the related claim for the 2014-2015 plan year.

James R. Brown, Sr. Advisor Agreement

On January 25, 2022, SGRP entered into a consulting agreement with Mr. James R. Brown, Sr., effective January 26, 2022, following his retirement as a director of SGRP on January 25, 2021, pursuant to which Mr. Brown will serve as a Board advisor to SGRP from time to time for a term of one (1) year (the "Brown Advisor Agreement"). As compensation for his services, Mr. Brown is entitled to receive compensation at a rate of $55,000 for the term of the Brown Advisor Agreement. Payments will be made in equal quarterly installments and will be pro-rated for partial quarters.

Panagiotis Lazaretos Consulting Agreement

On January 27, 2022, SGRP entered into a consulting agreement with Thenablers, Ltd. effective February 1, 2022 (the " Lazaretos Consulting Agreement"). Thenablers, Ltd. is wholly owned by Mr. Panagiotis Lazaretos, a retired director of SGRP. Following Mr. Lazaretos' retirement as a director on January 25, 2021, Thenablers, Ltd. agreed to provide the consulting services of Mr. Lazaretos to SGRP regarding global sales and new markets' expansion. The Lazaretos Consulting Agreement cannot be terminated by the consent of either party for the first twelve (12) months, and automatically expires on January 31, 2024. As compensation for its services, Thenablers, Ltd. is entitled to receive: (i) base compensation at a rate of $10,000 per month for the term of the Consulting Agreement; (ii) incentive based compensation as calculated in Exhibit A of the Lazaretos Consulting Agreement; and (iii) the outstanding options granted to Mr. Panagiotis ("Panos") N. Lazaretos on February 4, 2021 will continue to be outstanding and vest according to their terms under the agreement.

Other Domestic Related Party Transactions

National Merchandising Services, LLC ("NMS"), is a consolidated domestic subsidiary of the Company and is owned jointly by SGRP through its indirect ownership of 51% of the NMS membership interests and by National Merchandising of America, Inc. ("NMA"), through its ownership of the other 49% of the NMS membership interests. Mr. Edward Burdekin is the Chief Executive Officer and President and a director of NMS and also is an executive officer and director of NMA. Ms. Andrea Burdekin, Mr. Burdekin's wife, is the sole stockholder and also a director of both NMA and NMS. NMA is an affiliate of the Company but is not under the control of or consolidated with the Company. Mr. Burdekin also owns 100% of National Store Retail Services ("NSRS"). Since September 2018 through June of 2021, NSRS provided substantially all of the domestic merchandising specialist field force used by NMS. For those services, NMS agrees to reimburse NSRS certain costs for providing those services plus a premium ranging from 4.0% to 10.0% of certain costs. Starting in July of 2021, the domestic merchandising specialist field force services provided by NSRS was transitioned to National Remodel & Setup Services, LLC ("NRSS") with the same financial arrangement. Mrs. Andrea Burdekin is the owner of NRSS. NMS also leases office space from Mr. Burdekin's Personal property.

Resource Plus of North Florida, Inc. ("Resource Plus"), is a consolidated domestic subsidiary of the Company and is owned jointly by SGRP through its indirect ownership of 51% of the Resource Plus membership interests and by Mr. Richard Justus through his ownership of the other 49% of the Resource Plus membership interests. Mr. Justus has a 50% ownership interest in RJ Holdings which owns the buildings where Resource Plus is headquartered and operates. Both buildings are subleased to Resource Plus.

International Related Party Services

SGRP Meridian (Pty), Ltd. ("Meridian") is a consolidated international subsidiary of the Company and is owned 51% by SGRP, 23% by Friedshelf 401 Proprietary Limited and 26% by Lindicom Empowerment Holdings Proprietary Limited. Mr. Adrian Wingfield, who is a Director of CMR Meridian, is one of the beneficial owners of Merhold Holding Trust ("MHT"). MHT owns the building where Meridian is headquartered.

The Corporation's principal Brazilian subsidiary, SPAR BSMT, is owned 51% by the Company, 39% by JK Consultoria Empresarial Ltda.-ME, a Brazilian limitada ("JKC"), and 10% by EILLC. JKC is owned by Mr. Jonathan Dagues Martins, a Brazilian citizen and resident ("JDM") and his sister, Ms. Karla Dagues Martins, a Brazilian citizen and resident. JDM is the Chief Executive Officer and President of each SPAR Brazil subsidiary pursuant to a Management Agreement between JDM and SPAR BSMT dated September 13, 2016. JDM also is a director of SPAR BSMT. Accordingly, JKC and JDM are each a related party respecting the Company. EILLC is owned by Mr. Peter W. Brown, a director of SPAR BSMT and SGRP. 

SPARFACTS is a consolidated international subsidiary of the Company and is owned 51% by SGRP and 49% by Ms. Lydna Chapman. Ms. Chapman is a director of SPARFACTS. Her various companies provide office lease, accounting and consultant services to SPARFACTS.

Summary of Certain Related Party Transactions

The following costs of affiliates were charged to the Company (in thousands): 

	Year Ended December 31,
	2021		2020
Services provided by affiliates:
National Store Retail Services (NSRS)	$	3,799	$	4,805
National Remodel & Setup Services (NRSS)		3,484		-
Consulting and administrative services (RJ Holdings)		567		939
Office lease expenses (RJ Holdings)		248		248
Office and vehicle rental expenses (MPT, MCPT, MHT)		115		1,470
Consulting and administrative fees (SPARFACTS)		325		210
Other		151		201
Total services provided by affiliates	$	8,689	$	7,873

Due to affiliates consists of the following (in thousands):	December 31,
	2021		2020
Loans to local investors:
China (included in Other receivables)	$	-	$	613
Loans from local investors:(1)
China	$	1,784	$	1,746
Mexico		623		623
Australia		597		586
South Africa		-		415
Resource Plus		266		266
Brazil		-		139
Total due to affiliates	$	3,270	$	3,775

(1)     Represent loans from the local investors into the Company's subsidiaries (representing their proportionate share of working capital loans). The loans have no payment terms and are due on demand and as such have been classified as current liabilities in the Company's consolidated financial statements.

Bartels' Retirement and Director Compensation

William H. Bartels retired as an employee of the Company as of January 1, 2020. However, he continues to serve as a member of SPAR's Board, a position he has held since July 8, 1999. Mr. Bartels is also one of the founders and a significant stockholder of SGRP.

Effective as of January 18, 2020, SPAR's Governance Committee proposed and unanimously approved retirement benefits for the five-year period commencing January 1, 2020, and ending December 31, 2024 (the "Five-Year Period"), for Mr. Bartels. The aggregate value of benefits payable to Mr. Bartels is approximately $220,558 per year and a total of $1,102,790 for the Five-Year Period. The Company recognized $700,000 of retirement benefits during the year ended December 31, 2020, representing the present value of the future Retirement Compensation, Supplemental Fees and Medical Benefits payments due Mr. Bartels. $404,667 remains outstanding as of December 31, 2021 and is included within Accrued expenses and other current liabilities.

Other Related Party Transactions and Arrangements

SPAR Business Services, Inc. ("SBS") and SPAR InfoTech, Inc. ("Infotech") are related parties and affiliates of SGRP, but are not under the control or part of the consolidated Company. SBS is an affiliate because it is owned by SBS LLC, which in turn is beneficially owned by Robert G. Brown, Director, Chairman of the Board, and significant shareholder of SGRP. Infotech is an affiliate because it is owned principally by Robert G. Brown. 

In July 1999 SMF, SBS and Infotech entered into a perpetual software ownership agreement providing that each party independently owned an undivided share of and has the right to unilaterally license and exploit certain portions of the Company's proprietary scheduling, tracking, coordination, reporting and expense software are co-owned with SBS and Infotech and each entered into a non-exclusive royalty-free license from the Company to use certain "SPAR" trademarks in the United States.