SCHEDULE 14A
(RULE 14A-101)
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT
SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
PROXY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(a) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
(Amendment No. )
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Filed by a party other than the registrant x
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¨ | Preliminary proxy statement. |
¨ | Confidential, for use of the Commission only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)). |
¨ | Definitive proxy statement. |
x | Definitive additional materials. |
¨ | Soliciting material under Rule 14a-12. |
HARVARD ILLINOIS BANCORP, INC.
(Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
STILWELL VALUE PARTNERS II, L.P.
STILWELL VALUE PARTNERS VII, L.P.
STILWELL PARTNERS, L.P.
STILWELL VALUE LLC
JOSEPH STILWELL
MARK S. SALADIN
DEMITRI SIBBING
MAIDA L. KORTE
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement if Other Than the Registrant)
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The Stilwell Group
111 Broadway, 12th Floor
New York, NY 10006
(212) 269-1551
INFO@STILWELLGROUP.COM
April 22, 2014
Dear Fellow HARI Owner,
Upon the mandatory retirement of a corporate director (due to age), who did our board nominate to replace him? None other than his son. The younger man’s other qualifications seem to center around being the store manager of Buck Bros., Inc. Being a bank director requires a degree of financial or legal sophistication. Without passing judgment about this man’s character or his interest in serving a community institution, one can surely say that he’s not the most qualified individual to be a director of our Bank.
Having invested in hundreds of community banks over the years, I can’t recall ever seeing a board try a move like this. Directorships (and the perquisites they entail) aren’t meant to be passed down from father to son like an English Dukedom. It makes me wonder what kind of misguided group dynamic is at play with our Company’s board.
As the Company’s largest shareholder, I have nominated a qualified professional for HARI’s board. Mark graduated from The John Marshall School of Law. He’s been a Partner at the Crystal Lake law firm of Zanck, Coen, Wright & Saladin, P.C. since 1998. Mark specializes in business, corporate and real estate law, and he’s advised corporate boards and corporate officers. He’s also a City Council Member for Woodstock.
Mark would make an extremely capable director for our Bank, and he’d bring a fresh perspective to the board at HARI. In my estimation there’s something wrong when a bank has paid its executives more than it has earned for shareholders over the past five years.1 Mark will focus on appropriate oversight on behalf of HARI’s owners.
Please vote the GREEN proxy card for Mark Saladin—professionalism over nepotism.
Sincerely, | ||
/s/ Joseph Stilwell | ||
Joseph Stilwell |
1 Total compensation to CEO and CFO of $2,151,011 compared to total net income of $1,462,000 for the five years ended December 31, 2013, as reported in HARI’s proxy statements and annual reports on Form 10-K.
▼ DETACH PROXY CARD HERE ▼ |
PROXY
THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED BY THE STILWELL GROUP IN OPPOSITION TO
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF HARVARD ILLINOIS BANCORP, INC.
FOR THE 2014 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
THIS SOLICITATION IS NOT BEING MADE BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF HARVARD ILLINOIS BANCORP, INC.
The undersigned hereby appoints Ms. E.J. Borrack, Mr. Charles W. Garske, Ms. Megan Parisi, and Mr. Bruce Goldfarb, and each of them, attorneys and agents with full power of substitution, as Proxy for the undersigned, to vote all shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Harvard Illinois Bancorp, Inc. (“Harvard Illinois Bancorp” or the “Company”), which the undersigned is entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held at the Harvard Police Station, 201 West Front Street, 2nd Floor, Harvard, Illinois, on May 22, 2014 at 8:00 a.m., Illinois Time, or any adjournments or postponements thereof and at any meeting called in lieu thereof (the “Annual Meeting”).
This proxy, when properly executed will be voted in the manner directed herein by the undersigned stockholder. Unless otherwise specified, this proxy will be voted “FOR” the election of the Stilwell Group’s Nominee for election as a director as noted on the reverse, “AGAINST” the Company's non-binding proposal to approve its executive compensation, and “FOR” the ratification of the appointment of BKD, LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accountants for 2014. This proxy revokes all prior proxies given by the undersigned.
Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Stockholder Meeting to be Held on May 22, 2014. The Stilwell Group's Proxy Statement and form of GREEN proxy card are available at www.OkapiVote.com/HarvardIllinois.
For registered shares, your proxy must be received by 11:59 P.M. Central Daylight Time on May 21, 2014.
IMPORTANT: PLEASE SIGN AND DATE ON THE REVERSE SIDE.
▼ DETACH PROXY CARD HERE ▼ |
The Stilwell Group recommends that you vote “FOR” the election of the Stilwell Group’s Nominee, Mark S. Saladin, as a director, “AGAINST” the Company's non-binding proposal to approve its executive compensation, and “FOR” the ratification of the appointment of BKD, LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accountants for 2014.
1. |
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
– To elect Mr. Mark S. Saladin |
¨ FOR | ¨ WITHHOLD |
The Stilwell Group intends to use this proxy to vote for the person who has been nominated by the Company for election as a director, other than the Company nominee noted below. There is no assurance that the candidate nominated by the Company will serve as a director if the Stilwell Group’s Nominee is elected. You should refer to the Company’s proxy statement and form of proxy distributed by the Company for the names, background, qualifications and other information concerning the Company’s nominees. The Stilwell Group is NOT seeking authority to vote for and will NOT exercise any authority to vote for Brian S. Rebhorn.
Note:
If you do not wish for your shares to be voted “FOR” the person who has been nominated by the Company for election
as a director, other than Brian S. Rebhorn, write the name
of the Company nominee in the following space:
_______________________________________________________________________
2. | ADVISORY VOTE TO APPROVE EXECUTVE COMPENSATION. |
¨ FOR | ¨ AGAINST | ¨ ABSTAIN |
3. | RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF BKD, LLP AS THE INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS FOR HARVARD ILLINOIS BANCORP, INC. FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2014. |
¨ FOR | ¨ AGAINST | ¨ ABSTAIN |
In his or her discretion, each Proxy is authorized to vote upon such other business that may properly come before the Annual Meeting and any and all adjournments or postponements thereof, as provided in the Proxy Statement provided herewith.
Please sign exactly as your name(s) appear on the proxy card(s) previously sent to you. When shares are held by joint tenants, both should sign. When signing as an attorney, executor, administrator, trustee, or guardian, please give full title as such. If a corporation, please sign in full corporation name by the president or other duly authorized officer. If a partnership, please sign in partnership name by authorized person. This proxy card votes all shares held in all capacities.
PLEASE SIGN, DATE, AND MAIL THIS PROXY CARD TODAY.
Dated: | Signature | |||
Title: | ||||
Dated: | Signature (if held jointly) | |||
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Electronic Voting Instructions You can vote by Internet or telephone! Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! Instead of mailing your proxy, you may choose one of the two voting methods outlined below to vote your proxy. Proxies submitted by the Internet or telephone must be received by 11:59 p.m., Central Daylight Time, on May 21, 2014. | ||||
Vote by Internet -Log on to the Internet and go to www.okapivote.com/hari -Follow the steps outlined on the secured website. | ||||
Vote by telephone -Call toll free 1-866-520-7905 within the USA, US territories & Canada any time on a touch tone telephone. There is NO CHARGE to you for the call. |