pre14a
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
PROXY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(a) OF THE
SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 (Amendment
No. )
Filed by the Registrant
þ
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant
o
Check the appropriate box:
þ Preliminary
Proxy Statement
o Confidential,
for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by
Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
o Definitive
Proxy Statement
o Definitive
Additional Materials
o Soliciting
Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12
REYNOLDS AMERICAN INC.
(Name of Registrant as Specified In
Its Charter)
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy
Statement, if other than the Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
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þ
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No fee required.
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o
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Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act
Rules 14a-6(i)(1)
and 0-11.
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(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
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Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.
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Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by
Exchange Act
Rule 0-11(a)(2)
and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid
previously. Identify the previous filing by registration
statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its
filing.
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(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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In
accordance with
Rule 14a-6(d)
under Regulation 14A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended, please be advised that RAI intends to release
definitive copies of the proxy statement
to security holders on or about March 25, 2011.
PRELIMINARY
COPY
March ,
2011
Dear Shareholder:
You are cordially invited to attend the 2011 annual meeting of
shareholders of Reynolds American Inc. The meeting will be held
at 9:00 a.m. (Eastern Time), on Friday, May 6, 2011,
in the Reynolds American Plaza Building Auditorium at RAIs
corporate offices, 401 North Main Street, Winston-Salem, North
Carolina.
The matters to be acted on at the annual meeting are described
in the accompanying notice of meeting and proxy statement.
Please give careful attention to these proxy materials.
Pursuant to rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange
Commission, we are providing to most of our shareholders access
to our proxy materials over the Internet through a process
informally called
e-proxy.
We believe these rules allow us to deliver proxy materials to
our shareholders in a cost-efficient and an environmentally
sensitive manner, while preserving the ability of shareholders
to receive paper copies of these materials if they wish.
It is important that your shares be represented and voted at the
annual meeting regardless of the size of your holdings. Whether
or not you plan to attend the annual meeting, we encourage you
to vote your shares in advance of the annual meeting by using
one of the methods described in the accompanying proxy materials.
Attendance at the annual meeting will be limited to our
shareholders as of the record date of March 14, 2011, and
to guests of RAI, as more fully described in the proxy
statement. Admittance tickets will be required. If you are a
shareholder and plan to attend, you MUST pre-register for the
meeting and request an admittance ticket no later than
Wednesday, April 27, 2011, by writing to the Office of the
Secretary, Reynolds American Inc., 401 North Main Street,
P.O. Box 2990, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
27102-2990.
If your shares are not registered in your own name, evidence of
your stock ownership as of March 14, 2011, must accompany
your letter. You can obtain this evidence from your bank or
brokerage firm, typically in the form of your most recent
monthly statement. An admittance ticket will be held in your
name at the registration desk, not mailed to you in advance of
the meeting.
We anticipate that a large number of shareholders will attend
the meeting. Seating is limited, so we suggest that you arrive
early. The auditorium will open at 8:30 a.m.
If you have questions or need assistance in voting your shares,
please contact our Shareholder Services Department at
(866) 210-9976
(toll-free).
Thank you for your support and continued interest in RAI.
Sincerely,
Thomas C. Wajnert
Chairman of the Board
Reynolds American
Inc.
401 North Main Street
P.O. Box 2990
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
27102-2990
Notice of Annual
Meeting of Shareholders
To be Held on Friday, May 6, 2011
March ,
2011
To our Shareholders:
The 2011 annual meeting of shareholders of Reynolds American
Inc. will be held at 9:00 a.m. (Eastern Time) on Friday,
May 6, 2011, in the Reynolds American Plaza Building
Auditorium at RAIs corporate offices, 401 North Main
Street, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. At the meeting,
shareholders will be asked to take the following actions:
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(1)
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to elect three Class I directors to serve until the 2014
annual meeting of shareholders, one Class II director to
serve until the 2012 annual meeting of shareholders and one
Class III director to serve until the 2013 annual meeting
of shareholders;
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(2)
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to approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of RAIs
named executive officers;
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(3)
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to recommend, on an advisory basis, the frequency of future
advisory votes on the compensation of RAIs named executive
officers;
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(4)
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to approve an amendment to RAIs Amended and Restated
Articles of Incorporation increasing the authorized shares of
RAI common stock, par value $.0001 per share, from 800,000,000
to 1,600,000,000;
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(5)
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to ratify the appointment of KPMG LLP as independent auditors
for RAIs 2011 fiscal year;
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(6)
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to act on three shareholder proposals, if presented by their
proponents; and
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(7)
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to transact any other business as may be properly brought before
the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof.
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Only holders of record of RAI common stock as of the close of
business on March 14, 2011, are entitled to notice of, and
to vote at, the 2011 annual meeting of shareholders of RAI.
Whether or not you plan to attend the meeting, we urge you to
vote your shares using a toll-free telephone number or the
Internet, or by completing, signing and mailing the proxy card
that either is included with these materials or will be sent to
you at your request. Instructions regarding the different voting
methods are contained in the accompanying proxy statement.
By Order of the Board of Directors,
McDara P. Folan, III
Secretary
Reynolds American
Inc.
401 North Main Street
P.O. Box 2990
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
27102-2990
Proxy
Statement
Table
of Contents
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iv
Information about
the Annual Meeting and Voting
The Board of Directors, sometimes referred to as the Board, of
Reynolds American Inc. is soliciting your proxy to vote at our
2011 annual meeting of shareholders (or any adjournment or
postponement of the annual meeting). (References in this proxy
statement to RAI, we, our,
or us are references to Reynolds American Inc.) This
proxy statement contains important information for you to
consider when deciding how to vote on the matters brought before
the 2011 annual meeting. Please read it carefully.
In accordance with certain rules of the Securities and Exchange
Commission, referred to as the SEC, we are making our proxy
materials (consisting of this proxy statement, our 2010 Annual
Report on
Form 10-K
and a letter from our Chairman of the Board and our President
and Chief Executive Officer) available over the Internet, rather
than mailing a printed copy of our proxy materials to every
shareholder, which process we refer to as
e-proxy. We
began mailing a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy
Materials, referred to as the Notice, on or about
March , 2011, to all shareholders entitled to
vote, except shareholders who already had requested a printed
copy of our proxy materials and except participants in our
Savings Plan and SIP, defined below, to whom we began mailing
proxy materials (including a proxy card) on or about
March , 2011. More information about
e-proxy is
provided in the following set of questions and answers,
including information on how to receive by mail, free of charge,
paper copies of the proxy materials, in the event you received a
Notice.
When and where
will the annual meeting be held?
The date, time and place of our 2011 annual meeting are set
forth below:
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Date:
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Friday, May 6, 2011
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Time:
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9:00 a.m. (Eastern Time)
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Place:
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Reynolds American Plaza Building Auditorium
RAI Corporate Offices
401 North Main Street
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
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What is
required to attend the annual meeting?
Attendance at our 2011 annual meeting will be limited to our
shareholders as of the record date of March 14, 2011,
referred to as the record date, and to pre-approved guests of
RAI. All shareholder guests must be pre-approved by RAI
and will be limited to spouses, persons required for medical
assistance and properly authorized representatives of our
shareholders as of the record date. Admittance tickets
will be required to attend the meeting. If you are a shareholder
and plan to attend, you MUST pre-register and request an
admittance ticket for you (and any guest for whom you are
requesting pre-approval) no later than Wednesday, April 27,
2011, by writing to the Office of the Secretary, Reynolds
American Inc., P.O. Box 2990, Winston-Salem, North
Carolina
27102-2990.
If your shares are not registered in your own name, evidence of
your stock ownership as of March 14, 2011, must accompany
your letter. You can obtain this evidence from your bank or
brokerage firm, typically in the form of your most recent
monthly statement. An admittance ticket will be held in your
name at the registration desk not mailed to you in
advance of the meeting. Proper identification will be required
to obtain an admittance ticket.
The 2011 annual meeting is a private business meeting. In
accordance with RAIs Amended and Restated Bylaws, referred
to as Bylaws, and North Carolina law, our Chairman of the Board
has the right and authority to determine and maintain the rules,
regulations and procedures for the conduct of the meeting,
including, but not limited to, maintaining order and the safety
of those in attendance, dismissing business not properly
submitted, opening and closing the polls for voting and limiting
time allowed for discussion of the business at the meeting.
Failure to abide by the meeting rules will not be tolerated and
may result in expulsion from the meeting. A copy of the meeting
rules will be provided to all properly pre-registered
shareholders and guests with their admittance ticket.
1
We anticipate that a large number of shareholders will attend
the meeting. Seating is limited, so we suggest you arrive early.
The auditorium will open at 8:30 a.m.
If you have a disability, we can provide reasonable assistance
to help you participate in the meeting. If you plan to attend
the meeting and require assistance, please write or call the
Office of the Secretary of RAI no later than May 2, 2011,
at P.O. Box 2990, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
27102-2990;
telephone number
(336) 741-5162.
What is the
purpose of the annual meeting?
At our 2011 annual meeting, shareholders will vote upon the
matters outlined in the notice of meeting
(1) the election of directors, (2) an advisory vote on
the compensation of our executive officers named in the 2010
Summary Compensation Table below, each officer named in such
table referred to as a named executive officer, (3) an
advisory vote regarding the frequency of future advisory votes
on the compensation of our named executive officers,
(4) approval of an amendment to our Amended and Restated
Articles of Incorporation, referred to as the Articles of
Incorporation, (5) ratification of the appointment of our
independent auditors, and (6) three shareholder proposals,
if such proposals are presented by their proponents at the
meeting. Also, RAIs management will report on RAIs
performance during the last fiscal year and respond to questions
from shareholders.
What are the
Boards recommendations regarding the matters to be acted
on at the annual meeting?
The Board recommends a vote:
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FOR the election of all director nominees,
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FOR the approval, on an advisory basis, of the
compensation of our named executive officers,
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FOR the recommendation, on an advisory basis, of a
frequency of 1 YEAR for future advisory votes on
the compensation of our named executive officers,
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FOR the approval of an amendment to the Articles
of Incorporation increasing the number of authorized shares of
RAI common stock from 800,000,000 to 1,600,000,000,
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FOR the ratification of the appointment of KPMG
LLP as our independent auditors for our 2011 fiscal year,
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AGAINST the three shareholder proposals described
on pages 80 to 86 of this proxy statement, and
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FOR or AGAINST any other matters that come before
the annual meeting, as the proxy holders deem advisable.
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What is
e-proxy, and
why is RAI using it?
E-proxy
refers to the process allowed under SEC rules permitting
companies to make their proxy materials available over the
Internet, instead of mailing paper copies of the proxy materials
to every shareholder. We are using
e-proxy to
distribute proxy materials to most of our shareholders because
it will be cost effective for RAI and our shareholders (by
lowering printing and mailing costs), reduce the consumption of
paper and other resources, and provide shareholders with more
choices for accessing proxy information.
2
I received the
Notice, but I prefer to read my proxy materials on
paper can I get paper copies?
Yes. In addition to providing instructions on accessing the
proxy materials on the Internet (by visiting a web site referred
to in the Notice), the Notice has instructions on how to request
paper copies by phone,
e-mail or on
the Internet. You will be sent, free of charge, printed
materials within three business days of your request. Once you
request paper copies, you will continue to receive the materials
in paper form until you instruct us otherwise.
I had
consented before to the electronic delivery of proxy
materials will I continue to receive them via
e-mail?
Yes. The
e-proxy
rules work in harmony with the existing rules allowing
shareholders to consent to electronic delivery of proxy
materials. If you have already registered to receive materials
electronically, you will continue to receive them that way. If
you have not already done so, but desire now to consent to
electronic delivery, please see the question below Can I
receive future proxy materials from RAI electronically?
Who is
entitled to vote at the annual meeting?
Shareholders who owned RAI common stock at the close of business
on March 14, 2011, the record date, are entitled to vote.
As of the record date, we
had shares
of RAI common stock outstanding. Each outstanding share of RAI
common stock is entitled to one vote. The number of shares you
own is reflected on your Notice
and/or proxy
card.
Is there a
difference between holding shares of record and
holding shares in street name?
Yes. If your shares are registered directly in your name with
RAIs transfer agent (BNY Mellon Shareowner Services), then
you are considered to be the shareholder of record
with respect to those shares, and the Notice
and/or these
proxy materials are being sent directly to you by RAI. If your
shares are held in the name of a bank, broker or other nominee,
then you are considered to hold those shares in street
name or to be the beneficial owner of such
shares. If you are a beneficial owner, then the Notice
and/or these
proxy materials are being forwarded to you by your nominee who
is considered the shareholder of record with respect to the
shares.
How many votes
must be present to hold the annual meeting?
A quorum of shareholders is necessary to hold a valid meeting.
The holders of record, present in person or by proxy at the
meeting, of a majority of the shares entitled to vote constitute
a quorum. Once a share is represented for any purpose at the
meeting, it is considered present for quorum purposes for the
remainder of the meeting. Abstentions, shares that are withheld
as to voting with respect to one or more of the director
nominees and broker non-votes will be counted in
determining the existence of a quorum. A broker
non-vote occurs on an item when a nominee is not permitted
to vote without instructions from the beneficial owner of the
shares and the beneficial owner fails to provide the nominee
with such instructions.
How can I vote
my shares?
You may vote in person at our 2011 annual meeting or you may
designate another person your proxy to
vote your stock. The written document used to designate someone
as your proxy also is called a proxy or proxy card. We urge you
to vote your shares by proxy even if you plan to attend the
annual meeting. You can always change your vote at the meeting.
If you are a shareholder of record, then you can vote by proxy
over the Internet by following the instructions in the Notice,
or, if you request printed copies of the proxy materials by
mail, you can also vote by mail or telephone.
3
If you are a beneficial owner and you want to vote by proxy,
then you may vote by proxy over the Internet, or if you request
printed copies of the proxy materials by mail, you can also vote
by mail or by telephone by following the instructions in the
Notice.
If I want to
vote my shares in person at the annual meeting, what must I
do?
If you plan to attend the meeting and vote in person and you
hold your shares directly in your own name, then we will give
you a ballot when you arrive. However, if you hold your shares
in street name, then you must obtain a legal proxy assigning to
you the right to vote your shares from the nominee who is the
shareholder of record. The legal proxy must accompany your
ballot to vote your shares in person.
If I hold
shares in an employee benefit plan sponsored by RAI, how will
those shares be voted?
If you participate in the RAI 401k Savings Plan, referred to as
the Savings Plan, or in the Puerto Rico Savings &
Investment Plan, referred to as the SIP, then your proxy card
will serve as voting instructions for the trustee of the Savings
Plan or the custodian of the SIP for shares of RAI common stock
allocated to your account under the Savings Plan or the SIP.
Shares for which no instructions are received will be voted by
the trustee of the Savings Plan and the custodian of the SIP in
the same proportion as the shares for which instructions are
received by each of them.
What are my
choices when voting?
You may specify whether your shares should be voted for all,
some or none of the director nominees. You also may specify
whether your shares should be voted for or against, or whether
you abstain from voting with respect to, each of the other
proposals, except Item 3 which you may specify should be
voted for one year, two years, three years or abstain.
What if I do
not specify how I want my shares voted?
If you sign and return a proxy card, one of the individuals
named on the card (your proxy) will vote your shares as you have
directed. If you are a shareholder of record and return a signed
proxy card, or if you give your proxy by telephone or over the
Internet, but do not make specific choices, your proxy will vote
your shares in accordance with the Boards recommendations
listed above. Please see the discussion below under How
many votes are required to elect directors and adopt the other
proposals? for further information on the voting of shares.
If any other matter is presented at our 2011 annual meeting,
then your proxy will vote in accordance with his or her best
judgment. At the time this proxy statement went to press, we
knew of no other matters that had been properly presented to be
acted upon at the annual meeting.
Can I change
my proxy?
Yes. You may revoke or change your proxy by:
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sending in another signed proxy card with a later date,
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notifying our Secretary in writing before the meeting that you
have revoked your proxy, or
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voting in person at the meeting or through Internet or telephone
voting. Your latest telephone or Internet vote is the one that
is counted.
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4
How many votes
are required to elect directors and adopt the other
proposals?
The required number of votes depends upon the particular item to
be voted upon:
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Item
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Vote Necessary*
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Item 1:
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Election of Directors
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Directors are elected by a plurality of the votes
cast at the meeting, meaning that the director nominee with the
most votes for a particular slot is elected for that slot.
Director nominees do not need a majority of the votes cast at
the meeting to be elected.
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Item 2:
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Advisory vote on the compensation of our named executive officers
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Approval requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the
votes cast at the meeting, although such vote is only advisory
and will not be binding on us.
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Item 3:
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Advisory vote on the frequency of future advisory votes on the
compensation of our named executive officers
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The frequency (every one, two or three years) of future advisory
votes on the compensation of our named executive officers
receiving the most votes will be considered the frequency
recommended by our shareholders, although such vote is only
advisory and will not be binding on us.
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Item 4:
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Approval of amendment to the Articles of Incorporation
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Approval requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the
votes cast at the meeting.
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Item 5:
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Ratification of the appointment of independent auditors
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Approval requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the
votes cast at the meeting.
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Items 6-8:
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Shareholder proposals
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Approval requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the
votes cast at the meeting.
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* |
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Under the rules of the New York Stock Exchange, referred to as
the NYSE, if you hold your shares in street name, your bank or
broker may not vote your shares on
Items 1-3
and
Items 6-8
without instructions from you. Without your voting instructions,
a broker non-vote will occur on
Item 1-3
and
Items 6-8.
Your bank or broker is permitted to vote your shares on
Items 4 and 5 even if it does not receive voting
instructions from you. Abstentions, shares that are withheld as
to voting with respect to nominees for director and broker
non-votes will not be counted as votes cast. |
Who counts the
votes?
We will retain an independent party, Broadridge Financial
Solutions, Inc., to receive and tabulate the proxies, and to
serve as the inspector of election to certify the results.
Are votes
confidential?
The votes of all shareholders will be held in confidence from
our directors, officers and employees, except:
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as necessary to meet applicable legal requirements and to assert
or defend claims for or against RAI,
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in case of a contested proxy solicitation,
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if a shareholder makes a written comment on the proxy card or
otherwise communicates his or her vote to management, or
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to allow the independent inspectors of election to certify the
results of the vote.
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5
How do I
obtain the voting results?
Preliminary voting results will be announced at the 2011 annual
meeting, and will be set forth in a press release that we intend
to issue after the annual meeting. The press release will be
available on our web site at www.reynoldsamerican.com.
Final voting results will be published in a Current Report on
Form 8-K,
which we will file with the SEC within four business days after
the 2011 annual meeting. A copy of this Current Report on
Form 8-K
will be available on our web site after its filing with the SEC.
Can I receive
future proxy materials from RAI electronically?
Yes. Shareholders can elect to receive an
e-mail that
will provide electronic links to these materials in the future.
If you are a registered shareholder, and have not already
elected to view documents issued by us over the Internet, then
you can choose to receive these documents electronically by
following the appropriate prompts when you vote using the
Internet. (If you hold your RAI common stock in nominee name,
then you should review the information provided by your nominee
for instructions on how to elect to view future proxy materials
and annual reports using the Internet.) By choosing to receive
shareholder materials electronically, you support us in our
effort to control escalating printing and postage costs, and to
protect the environment. We hope that our shareholders find this
service convenient and useful. Costs normally associated with
electronic access, such as usage and telephonic charges, will be
your responsibility.
If you elect to view our annual reports and proxy materials
using the Internet, we will send you a notice at the
e-mail
address provided by you explaining how to access these
materials, but we will not send you paper copies of these
materials unless you request them. We also may choose to send
one or more items to you in paper form even though you elected
to receive them electronically. Your consent to receive
materials electronically rather than by mail will be effective
until you revoke it by terminating your registration by going to
the web site
http://enroll.icsdelivery.com/rai,
writing to the Office of the Secretary, Reynolds American Inc.,
P.O. Box 2990, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
27102-2990,
or calling us at
(336) 741-5162.
If at any time you would like to receive a paper copy of the
annual report, proxy statement or other documents issued by us,
you may request any of these documents by writing to the address
above, calling us at
(336) 741-5162
or going to our web site at www.reynoldsamerican.com.
By consenting to electronic delivery, you are stating to us that
you currently have access to the Internet and expect to have
access to the Internet in the future. If you do not have access
to the Internet, or do not expect to have access in the future,
please do not consent to electronic delivery because we may rely
on your consent and not deliver paper copies of documents,
including, for example, future annual meeting materials or other
documents issued by us.
Can RAI
deliver only one set of annual meeting materials to multiple
shareholders who share the same address?
Yes. SEC rules allow us to send a single Notice or copy of our
proxy materials to two or more of our shareholders sharing the
same address, subject to certain conditions, in a process called
householding. To take advantage of the cost savings
offered by householding, we have delivered only one Notice or
copy of proxy materials to multiple shareholders who share an
address, unless we received contrary instructions from the
impacted shareholders prior to the mailing date. We agree to
deliver promptly, upon written or oral request, a separate copy
of the Notice or proxy materials, as requested, to any
shareholder at the shared address to which a single copy of
those documents was delivered. If you prefer to receive separate
copies of the Notice, proxy statement or
Form 10-K,
contact Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. at
1-800-542-1061,
or in writing at Broadridge, Householding Department, 51
Mercedes Way, Edgewood, New York 11717.
If you are currently a shareholder sharing an address with
another shareholder and wish to receive only one copy of future
Notices, proxy statements and Annual Reports on
Form 10-K
for your household, please contact Broadridge at the above phone
number or address.
6
How will RAI
solicit votes, and who will pay for the proxy
solicitation?
We are soliciting this proxy on behalf of your Board of
Directors and will bear the solicitation expenses. We are making
this solicitation by mail, but our directors, officers and
employees also may solicit by telephone,
e-mail,
facsimile or in person. We will pay for the cost of these
solicitations, but these individuals will receive no additional
compensation for their solicitation services. We will reimburse
nominees, if they request, for their expenses in forwarding
proxy materials to beneficial owners.
Is a list of
shareholders available?
Yes, an alphabetical list of the names of all shareholders of
record, as of the close of business on the record date, will be
available for inspection by any shareholder or his or her
representative, upon written demand, during the period from
March 29, 2011, to May 6, 2011. This list can be
viewed at RAIs corporate offices located at 401 North Main
Street, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27101 between the hours of
8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Under applicable North
Carolina law, a shareholder or his or her representative may,
under certain circumstances and at the shareholders
expense, copy the list during the period it is available for
inspection. A shareholder desiring to inspect
and/or copy
the shareholder list should contact RAIs Secretary at 401
North Main Street, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27101 (phone:
(336) 741-5162),
to make necessary arrangements. In addition, we will make the
shareholders list available for inspection to any
shareholder or his or her representative during the 2011 annual
meeting.
Whom should I
contact if I have questions about voting at the annual
meeting?
If you have any questions or need further assistance in voting
your shares, please contact:
Reynolds
American Inc.
Shareholder Services
P.O. Box 2990
Winston-Salem, NC
27102-2990
(866) 210-9976
(toll-free)
7
The Board of
Directors
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Item 1:
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Election
of Directors
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The business and affairs of RAI are managed under the direction
of your Board of Directors. The Board currently consists of
11 directors who are divided into two classes of four
directors and one class of three directors, with each class
serving staggered terms of three years. The three Class I
directors have a term ending on the date of the 2011 annual
meeting, the four Class II directors, except as otherwise
noted below, have a term ending on the date of the 2012 annual
meeting, and the four Class III directors, except as
otherwise noted below, have a term ending on the date of the
2013 annual meeting. Pursuant to our Articles of Incorporation,
each class is to consist, as nearly as may reasonably be
possible, of one-third of the total number of directors
constituting the Board.
Each of the following persons currently serving on the Board as
a Class I director has been nominated for re-election to
such class at the 2011 annual meeting: Luc Jobin, Nana Mensah
and John J. Zillmer. If re-elected at the 2011 annual meeting,
such persons will hold office until the 2014 annual meeting or
until their successors have been elected and qualified.
In addition to the foregoing persons nominated for re-election
as Class I directors, John P. Daly and Daniel M. Delen have
been nominated for re-election to Class II and
Class III, respectively, at the 2011 annual meeting.
Mr. Daly was first elected to serve at the Boards
December 2010 meeting, when he was elected to Class II.
Mr. Delen was elected to Class III, in addition to his
election as the President and Chief Executive Officer-Elect of
RAI, effective January 2011. Although the terms of the other
Class II and Class III directors end on the dates of
the 2012 and 2013 annual meetings, respectively,
Messrs. Dalys and Delens current terms as
Class II and Class III directors, respectively, are
scheduled to expire on the date of the 2011 annual meeting
because, under the law of North Carolina (the state in which RAI
is incorporated), each of Messrs. Daly and Delen was
elected to fill a vacancy on the Board. If re-elected at the
2011 annual meeting, Mr. Daly, like the other Class II
directors, will hold office until the 2012 annual meeting, and
Mr. Delen, like the other Class III directors, will
hold office until the 2013 annual meeting.
Pursuant to the terms of the Governance Agreement, dated
July 30, 2004, as amended, referred to as the Governance
Agreement, by and among RAI, Brown & Williamson
Holdings, Inc. (formerly known as Brown & Williamson
Tobacco Corporation), referred to as B&W, and British
American Tobacco p.l.c., the parent corporation of B&W and
referred to as BAT, B&W has designated Mr. Daly as a
nominee for re-election as a Class II director. (The
material terms of the Governance Agreement relating to the
nomination of directors are described below under
Governance Agreement.) The Boards
Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee, referred to as
the Governance Committee, has recommended Messrs. Jobin,
Mensah and Zillmer as nominees for re-election to the Board as
Class I directors. The other persons who have been
designated by B&W pursuant to the Governance Agreement as
directors of RAI are H.G.L. (Hugo) Powell (Class II
director), Martin D. Feinstein (Class III director) and
Neil R. Withington (Class III director). B&W has not
yet exercised its right under the Governance Agreement to
designate for nomination one additional person as a director.
As previously disclosed, two directors resigned from the Board
during the 2010 fiscal year Betsy S. Atkins, who
resigned as a director effective June 17, 2010, and
Nicandro Durante, who resigned as a director effective
December 1, 2010. Both Ms. Atkins and Mr. Durante
had been designated by B&W as directors pursuant to the
Governance Agreement. In addition, Susan M. Ivey resigned from
the Board effective February 28, 2011, coincident with her
retirement as President and Chief Executive Officer of RAI.
Your proxy will vote for each of the nominees for directors
unless you specifically withhold authority to vote for a
particular nominee. If any such nominee is unable to serve, your
proxy may vote for another nominee proposed by the Board, or the
Board may reduce the number of directors to be elected.
Your Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR the election of
each of the three Class I director nominees, the one
Class II director nominee and the one Class III
director nominee.
8
Biographies of
Board Members
Certain biographical information regarding the persons nominated
for election to the Board at our 2011 annual meeting and
regarding the other persons serving on the Board is set forth
below:
Director
Nominees
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Name
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Age
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Business Experience
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Class I
Directors
(terms expiring in 2014)
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Luc Jobin
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51
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Mr. Jobin has been Executive Vice President and Chief Financial
Officer of Canadian National Railway Company, referred to as CN,
a rail and related transportation business, since June 2009.
Prior to joining CN, Mr. Jobin was Executive Vice President
of Power Corporation of Canada, referred to as PCC, an
international management and holding company, from February 2005
to April 2009, with responsibility for overseeing PCCs
diversified portfolio of investments. Prior to joining PCC, he
spent 22 years in a variety of financial and executive
management positions with Imasco Limited and its Canadian
tobacco subsidiary, Imperial Tobacco. Imasco, a major Canadian
consumer products and services corporation, became a BAT
subsidiary in 2000. Mr. Jobin served as President and Chief
Executive Officer of Imperial Tobacco from the fall of 2003
until he joined PCC. Mr. Jobin commenced serving on the Board of
RAI as of July 16, 2008. He also currently serves on the boards
of directors of On the Tip of the Toes Foundation, which
organizes therapeutic adventure expeditions for teenagers living
with cancer, Mount Royal Club and The Tolerance Foundation.
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The Board believes that Mr. Jobin, with his 31 years of
operational and financial management experience, including
22 years in the tobacco industry, where he served as the
chief executive officer of a major Canadian tobacco company, and
his current service as the chief financial officer of a major
rail and transportation company, brings to the Board strong
leadership skills, comprehensive knowledge of the tobacco
industry and extensive knowledge in the areas of strategy
development and execution; financial reporting, accounting and
controls; corporate finance, credit and investments; risk
management; and mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Jobins
service on other nonprofit boards also brings additional
experience and insight to the Board.
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9
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Name
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Age
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Business Experience
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Nana Mensah
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58
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Mr. Mensah has been the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of
XPORTS, Inc., a privately held company that exports food
packaging and food processing equipment and pharmaceuticals to
foreign markets, since January 2005, and previously served in
those same positions from April 2003 until July 2003 and from
October 2000 until December 2002. He served as the Chief
Operating Officer Domestic of Churchs
Chicken, a division of AFC Enterprises, Inc. and one of the
worlds largest quick-service restaurant chains, from
August 2003 to December 2004, when it was sold to a private
equity firm. Mr. Mensah commenced serving on the Board of RAI as
of July 30, 2004, and served on the board of directors of RJR
Nabisco, Inc. (now known as R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Holdings,
Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of RAI and formerly a publicly
traded company, referred to as RJR) from June 1999 to July 2004.
Mr. Mensah is a Distinguished Fellow at Georgetown College in
Kentucky. He also currently serves on the boards of trustees of
the Childrens Miracle Network and the Kentucky
Childrens Hospital.
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The Board believes that Mr. Mensah, with his 34 years of
operational management experience in the consumer and packaged
goods industries, including his service as the chief operating
officer of two national quick service restaurant chains, brings
to the Board strong leadership skills and extensive knowledge in
the areas of strategy development and execution; marketing and
brand leadership for consumer products and packaged goods;
operational efficiencies; corporate governance; and executive
compensation. In addition, Mr. Mensahs service on other
private company and non-profit boards brings valuable experience
and insight to the Board.
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10
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Name
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Age
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Business Experience
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John J. Zillmer
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55
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Mr. Zillmer has served as President and Chief Executive Officer
of Univar, a leading global distributor of industrial and
specialty chemicals and related services, since October 2009.
Prior to joining Univar, Mr. Zillmer was Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer of Allied Waste Industries, Inc., the
nations second-largest waste management company, from May
2005 until December 2008, when Allied Waste merged with Republic
Services, Inc. Prior to joining Allied Waste, Mr. Zillmer had
been retired since January 2004. From May 2000 until January
2004, he served as Executive Vice President of ARAMARK
Corporation. During the same period, he also served as President
of ARAMARKs Food and Support Services Group. From August
1999 to May 2000, he served as President of ARAMARKs Food
and Support Services International division, and from May 1995
to August 1999, he served as President of ARAMARKs
Business Services division. Mr. Zillmer served on the boards of
directors of Allied Waste Industries, Inc. from May 2005 to
December 2008; Pathmark Stores, Inc. from May 2006 to December
2007; and United Stationers Inc. from October 2005 to May 2008.
Mr. Zillmer commenced serving on the Board of RAI as of
July 12, 2007. He also currently serves on the boards of
directors of Univar and Ecolab Inc.
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The Board believes that Mr. Zillmer, with his 35 years of
operational and financial management experience, including his
service as the chief executive officer of both a global chemical
company and a national waste management company, brings to the
Board strong leadership skills and extensive knowledge in the
areas of strategy development and execution; operational
efficiencies; management of global operations; capital
investments; and executive compensation. In addition, Mr.
Zillmers service on other public and private company
boards and committees brings valuable experience and insight to
the Board.
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11
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Name
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Age
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Business Experience
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Class II
Director
(term expiring in 2012)
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John P. Daly
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54
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Mr. Daly has been the Chief Operating Officer of BAT, the
worlds second largest publicly traded tobacco group, since
September 2010, and has served as a director of BAT since
January 2010. After the 1999 merger of Rothmans International
with BAT, Mr. Daly became BATs Regional Manager for the
Middle East, Subcontinent and Central Asia, and was appointed
Area Director for the Middle East and North Africa in 2001. Mr.
Daly joined the management board of BAT upon his appointment as
Regional Director for Asia-Pacific in 2004. Prior to joining the
tobacco industry, Mr. Daly spent 14 years in the
pharmaceutical industry in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Mr.
Daly commenced serving on the Board of RAI as of December 1,
2010.
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The Board believes that Mr. Daly, with his more than
20 years of experience in the tobacco industry and with
BAT, brings to the Board strong leadership skills, extensive
knowledge of the tobacco industry and valuable expertise on the
operational and financial issues related to the tobacco
industry; and his 14 years of experience in the
pharmaceutical industry brings additional knowledge in the area
of governmental regulation of food and drugs. Mr. Dalys
service on the board of directors of BAT also brings valuable
experience and insight to the Board. In addition, Mr. Daly is
one of the executive officers of BAT designated by B&W
under the terms of the Governance Agreement.
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Class III
Director
(term expiring in 2013)
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Daniel M. Delen
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45
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Mr. Delen became the President and Chief Executive Officer of
RAI on March 1, 2011, and was the President and Chief Executive
Officer-Elect of RAI from January 1, 2011 to February 28, 2011.
Mr. Delen also became the President of RAI Services Company,
referred to as RAISC, a wholly owned subsidiary of RAI, in
January 2011. Mr. Delen served as Chairman of the Board of R. J.
Reynolds Tobacco Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of RAI,
referred to as RJR Tobacco, from May 2008 to December 2010. From
January 2007 to December 2010, he also served as the President
and Chief Executive Officer of RJR Tobacco. Prior to joining RJR
Tobacco, Mr. Delen was President of BAT
Ltd. Japan from August 2004 to December 2006,
and prior to that time, held various other positions with BAT
after joining BAT in 1989. Mr. Delen commenced serving on the
Board of RAI as of January 1, 2011. He also is a member of the
boards of directors of the United Way of Forsyth County and the
Winston-Salem Alliance.
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The Board believes that Mr. Delen, with his more than
20 years of domestic and international experience in the
tobacco industry, including his current service as the President
and Chief Executive Officer of RAI, brings to the Board strong
leadership skills and comprehensive knowledge of the tobacco
industry; marketing and brand leadership expertise; and
essential insight and perspective regarding the strategic and
operational opportunities and challenges of RAI and its
operating companies. Mr. Delens service on other
nonprofit boards also brings additional experience and insight
to the Board. In addition, Mr. Delen, as the Chief Executive
Officer of RAI, has been nominated by the Governance Committee
under the terms of the Governance Agreement.
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12
Continuing
Directors
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Name
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Age
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Business Experience
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Class II
Directors
(terms expiring in 2012)
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Holly K. Koeppel
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52
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Ms. Koeppel has served as the Co-Head of Citi Infrastructure
Investors, an investment fund focused on investment
opportunities within the infrastructure sectors, since January
2010. Previously, Ms. Koeppel was an executive vice president of
American Electric Power Company, Inc., referred to as AEP, one
of the largest power generators and distributors in the United
States, from 2002 to December 2009. Ms. Koeppel also was the
chief financial officer of AEP from 2006 to September 2009. She
joined AEP in 2000 as vice president, new ventures, corporate
development, and was promoted to senior vice president,
corporate development and strategy in 2002. Later that year, she
was promoted to executive vice president, energy services of
AEP. She became executive vice president, commercial operations
of AEP in 2003 and served as executive vice president of AEP
Utilities-East from 2004 until she was appointed chief financial
officer in 2006. Ms. Koeppel commenced serving on the board of
RAI as of July 16, 2008. She also currently serves on the boards
of directors of CoaLogix, Inc., Itínere Infraestructuras
S.A. and Kelda Group, and is a member of The Ohio State
University Deans Advisory Council.
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The Board believes that Ms. Koeppel, with her more than
30 years of operational and financial management
experience, including her service as the chief financial officer
of a large power company in a regulated industry, brings to the
Board strong leadership skills and extensive knowledge in the
areas of strategy development and execution; financial
reporting, accounting and controls; governmental regulation; and
mergers and acquisitions. In addition, Ms. Koeppels
service on other boards brings valuable experience and insight
to the Board.
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H.G.L. (Hugo) Powell
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66
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Mr. Powell retired in 2002 from Interbrew S.A., an international
brewer that in 2004 became part of InBev S.A., where he served
as Chief Executive Officer beginning in 1999. During Mr.
Powells tenure as Chief Executive Officer, he led
Interbrew through a crucial period in its expansion and
evolution, including the completion of 33 acquisitions. Between
1984 and 1999, Mr. Powell held various operational positions
within John Labatt Ltd. and Interbrew, including Chief Executive
Officer of Interbrew Americas from 1995 to 1999. Mr. Powell
commenced serving on the Board of RAI as of July 30, 2004. He
also currently serves on the board of directors of ITC Limited.
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The Board believes that Mr. Powell, with his nearly
40 years of operational and executive management experience
in the consumer goods industry, including 18 years of
service as the chief executive officer of an international
brewer, brings to the Board strong leadership skills and
extensive knowledge in the areas of strategy development and
execution; mergers and acquisitions; international trade;
financial reporting, accounting and controls; corporate
governance; and executive compensation. Mr. Powells
service on other public and private company boards and
committees also brings valuable experience and insight to the
Board. In addition, Mr. Powell is one of the independent
directors designated by B&W under the terms of the
Governance Agreement.
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13
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Name
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Age
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Business Experience
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Thomas C. Wajnert
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67
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Mr. Wajnert has been the Non-Executive Chairman of the Board of
RAI, referred to as the Non-Executive Chairman, since November
1, 2010. Prior to that date, he served as the Boards Lead
Director from May 2008 to October 2010. Mr. Wajnert has been a
Senior Managing Director of The AltaGroup, LLC, a global
consulting organization providing advisory services to the
financial services industry, since January 2011. He was
self-employed from July 2006 to December 2010 providing advisory
services to public and private companies and private equity
firms. From January 2002 to June 2006, he was Managing Director
of Fairview Advisors, LLC, a merchant bank he co-founded. Mr.
Wajnert retired as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive
Officer of AT&T Capital Corporation, a commercial finance
and leasing company, where he was employed from November 1984
until December 1997. Mr. Wajnert served on the boards of
directors of NYFIX, Inc. from October 2004 to November 2009, and
JLG Industries, Inc. from 1993 to 2007. Mr. Wajnert served on
the board of directors of RJR from June 1999 to July 2004, and
commenced serving on the Board of RAI as of July 30, 2004. He
also currently serves on the boards of directors of UDR, Inc.
and the St. Helena Hospital Foundation, and is Non-Executive
Chairman of FGIC, Inc., a privately held financial guarantee
insurance company.
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The Board believes that Mr. Wajnert, with his nearly
36 years of operational and executive management
experience, including 17 years of service as the chairman
and chief executive officer of a national commercial finance and
leasing company and the managing director and co-founder of a
merchant bank, brings to the Board strong leadership skills and
extensive knowledge in the areas of strategy development and
execution; corporate finance and credit; restructurings;
management of global operations; financial reporting, accounting
and controls; marketing and brand leadership; corporate
governance; and executive compensation. In addition, Mr.
Wajnerts service on other public and private company
boards and committees, and his role in providing advisory
services to public and private companies and private equity
firms, bring valuable experience and insight to the Board. Based
on this combination of experience, qualifications, attributes
and skills, the independent directors elected Mr. Wajnert as the
Non-Executive Chairman, effective November 1, 2010, and the
Boards Lead Director from May 2008 to October 2010.
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14
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Name
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Age
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Business Experience
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Class III
Directors
(terms expiring in 2013)
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Martin D. Feinstein
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62
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Mr. Feinstein was the Chairman of Farmers Group, Inc., a
provider of personal property/casualty insurance, and Farmers
New World Life Insurance Company, a provider of life insurance
and annuities, from 1997 to July 2005, and served as the Chief
Executive Officer of Farmers Group, Inc. from 1997 to April 2005
and as President and Chief Operating Officer of Farmers Group,
Inc. from 1995 to 1996. Prior to 1995, Mr. Feinstein held
various management positions with Farmers Group, Inc. He retired
from Farmers Group, Inc. in July 2005. Farmers Group, Inc. was
an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of B.A.T. Industries
p.l.c., an affiliate of BAT, from 1988 to 1998. Mr. Feinstein
was a member of the board of directors of Clear Technology, Inc.
from April 2005 to December 2007. Mr. Feinstein commenced
serving on the Board of RAI as of November 30, 2005. He also
currently serves on the boards of directors of GeoVera Holdings,
Inc. and Almin p.l.c.
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The Board believes that Mr. Feinstein, with his nearly
35 years of operational and financial management experience
in the insurance industry, including 10 years of service as
the chairman, chief executive officer and chief operating
officer of a national insurance company, brings to the Board
strong leadership skills and extensive knowledge in the areas of
strategy development and execution; financial reporting,
accounting and controls; insurance and risk management; and
corporate governance. Mr. Feinsteins service on other
public and private company boards and committees also brings
valuable experience and insight to the Board. In addition, Mr.
Feinstein is one of the independent directors designated by
B&W for nomination to the Board under the terms of the
Governance Agreement.
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15
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Name
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Age
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Business Experience
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Lionel L. Nowell, III
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56
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Mr. Nowell retired in 2009 from PepsiCo, one of the worlds
largest food and beverage companies, where he served as the
Senior Vice President and Treasurer from August 2001 to May
2009. Prior to that time, he served as Chief Financial Officer
for The Pepsi Bottling Group, a position he assumed in 2000
after serving as Controller for PepsiCo since July 1999. Mr.
Nowell joined PepsiCo in July 1999 from RJR, where he was Senior
Vice President, Strategy and Business Development from January
1998 to July 1999. Mr. Nowell commenced serving on the Board of
RAI as of September 26, 2007. Mr. Nowell also currently serves
on the board of directors of American Electric Power Company,
Inc. In addition, he serves on the Deans Advisory Board at
The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business and is an
active member of the Executive Leadership Council, American
Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Ohio Society
of CPAs.
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The Board believes that Mr. Nowell, with his more than
30 years of operational and financial management experience
in the consumer products industry, including his service as the
senior vice president and treasurer of a multi-national food and
beverage company, brings to the Board strong leadership skills
and extensive knowledge in the areas of strategy development and
execution; corporate finance, credit and treasury; financial
reporting, accounting and controls; and risk management. In
addition, Mr. Nowells service on other public and private
company boards and committees brings valuable experience and
insight to the Board.
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Neil R. Withington
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54
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Mr. Withington has been Director, Legal and Security, and Group
General Counsel of BAT, the worlds second largest publicly
traded tobacco group, since August 2000. Mr. Withington joined
BAT in 1993 as a Senior Lawyer and served in that capacity until
1995. He was named as the Assistant General Counsel and Head of
Product Liability Litigation Group of BAT in 1996. Mr.
Withington then served as the Deputy General Counsel of BAT from
1998 until 2000. Mr. Withington commenced serving on the Board
of RAI as of July 30, 2004.
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The Board believes that Mr. Withington, with his more than
17 years of experience in the tobacco industry and with
BAT, brings to the Board strong leadership skills, extensive
knowledge of the tobacco industry and valuable legal expertise
on the legal issues related to the tobacco industry, including
smoking and health litigation. In addition, Mr. Withington is
one of the executive officers of BAT designated by B&W for
nomination to the Board under the terms of the Governance
Agreement.
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16
Governance
Agreement
In connection with the business combination transactions,
collectively referred to as the Business Combination,
consummated on July 30, 2004, pursuant to which, among
other things, the U.S. cigarette and tobacco business of
B&W was combined with the business of RJR Tobacco, RAI,
B&W and BAT entered into the Governance Agreement, which
sets forth the parties agreement regarding various aspects
of the governance of RAI, including the nomination of RAI
directors. As noted above, under Item 1:
Election of Directors, the Board currently consists of
11 persons. Under the terms of the Governance Agreement,
the Board is nominated as follows:
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Nominator
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Nominee
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B&W
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B&W has the right to designate for nomination five
directors, at least three of whom are required to be independent
directors and two of whom may be executive officers of BAT or
any of its subsidiaries.
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Governance Committee
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The Governance Committee will recommend to the Board for
nomination:
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the chief executive officer of RAI or an
equivalent senior executive officer, and
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the remaining directors, each of whom is
required to be an independent director.
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The number of directors B&W is entitled to designate for
nomination to the Board will be affected by the amount of RAI
common stock which B&W owns. (As of the date of this proxy
statement, B&W owns approximately 42% of RAI common stock.)
Specifically, the Governance Agreement provides that
designations by B&W will be subject to the following
limitations prior to the recommendation of nominees by the
Governance Committee:
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If B&Ws ownership interest in RAI as of a
specified date is:
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B&W will have the right to designate:
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less than 32% but greater than or equal
to 27%
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two independent directors, and
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two directors who may be executive
officers of BAT or any of its subsidiaries.
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less than 27% but greater than or equal
to 22%
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two independent directors, and
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one director who may be an executive
officer of BAT or any of its subsidiaries.
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less than 22% but greater than or equal
to 15%
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one independent director, and
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one director who may be an executive
officer of BAT or any of its subsidiaries.
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less than 15%
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no directors.
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In addition, the Governance Agreement provides that in no event
will the number of directors designated by B&W divided by
the total number of directors then comprising the Board, exceed
the number of directors which B&W is then entitled to
designate pursuant to the terms of the Governance Agreement
divided by 12, rounded up to the nearest whole number.
For purposes of the Governance Agreement, an independent
director means a director who would be considered an
independent director of RAI under the NYSE listing
standards, as such listing standards may be amended from time to
time, and under any other applicable law that imposes as a
condition to any material benefit to RAI or any of its
subsidiaries, the independence of one or more members of the
Board, excluding, in each case, requirements that relate to
independence only for members of a particular
committee or directors fulfilling a particular function. In no
event will any person be deemed to be an independent
director if such person is, or at any time during the
three years preceding the date of determination was, a director,
officer or employee of BAT or any of its subsidiaries, other
than RAI and its subsidiaries, if applicable. In addition, no
person will be deemed to be an independent director
unless such person also would be considered to be an
independent director of BAT under the NYSE listing
standards, whether or not such person is in fact a director of
BAT, assuming the NYSE listing standards were applicable to BAT.
Under the Governance Agreement, the fact that a person has been
designated by B&W for nomination will not by itself
disqualify that person as an independent director.
17
Pursuant to the Governance Agreement, because the Board will
include the number of directors designated by B&W in
accordance with the terms of the Governance Agreement following
the election of directors at the 2011 annual meeting (assuming
that managements entire slate of nominees is elected at
the meeting), BAT and its subsidiaries will vote, pursuant to an
irrevocable proxy, their shares of RAI common stock in favor of
managements slate of nominees (consisting of
Messrs. Jobin, Mensah and Zillmer for Class I,
Mr. Daly for Class II and Mr. Delen for
Class III) at the 2011 annual meeting. Under the
Governance Agreement, BAT and its subsidiaries will not be
required to vote in favor of managements slate of nominees
at a particular shareholders meeting if a third party has
made a material effort to solicit proxies in favor of a
different slate of directors for that meeting.
Determination
of Independence of Directors
The NYSE listing standards require that all listed companies
have a majority of independent directors. For a director to be
independent under the NYSE listing standards, the
board of directors of a listed company must affirmatively
determine that the director has no material relationship with
the company, or its subsidiaries or affiliates, either directly
or as a partner, shareholder or officer of an organization that
has a relationship with the company or its subsidiaries or
affiliates. In accordance with the NYSE listing standards,
RAIs Board has adopted the following standards to assist
it in its determination of director independence; a director
will be determined not to be independent under the following
circumstances:
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the director is, or has been within the last three years, an
employee of RAI, or an immediate family member is, or has been
within the last three years, an executive officer, of RAI,
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the director has received, or has an immediate family member who
has received, during any
12-month
period within the last three years, more than $120,000 in direct
compensation from RAI, other than director and committee fees
and pension or other forms of deferred compensation for prior
service (provided such compensation is not contingent in any way
on continued service),
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(1) the director is a current partner or employee of a firm
that is RAIs internal or external auditor; (2) the
director has an immediate family member who is a current partner
of such a firm; (3) the director has an immediate family
member who is a current employee of such a firm and currently
works on RAIs audit; or (4) the director or an
immediate family member was within the last three years a
partner or employee of such a firm and personally worked on
RAIs audit within that time,
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the director or an immediate family member is, or has been
within the last three years, employed as an executive officer of
another company where any of RAIs present executive
officers at the same time serves or served on that
companys compensation committee, or
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the director is a current employee, or an immediate family
member is a current executive officer, of a company that has
made payments to, or received payments from, RAI for property or
services in an amount which, in any of the last three fiscal
years, exceeds the greater of $1,000,000 or 2% of such other
companys consolidated gross revenues.
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The foregoing director independence standards are set forth in
RAIs Corporate Governance Guidelines, which can be found
in the Governance section of our web site at
www.reynoldsamerican.com, or can be requested, free of
charge, by writing to the Office of the Secretary, Reynolds
American Inc., P.O. Box 2990, Winston-Salem, North
Carolina
27102-2990.
The Board has determined that the following directors are
independent within the meaning of the foregoing NYSE listing
standards: Martin D. Feinstein, Luc Jobin, Holly K. Koeppel,
Nana Mensah, Lionel L. Nowell, III, H.G.L. (Hugo) Powell,
Thomas C. Wajnert and John J. Zillmer. In addition, the Board
determined that Betsy S. Atkins was independent within the
meaning of the NYSE listing standards during her tenure on the
Board in 2010. None of the foregoing independent directors has
any relationship with RAI, other than being a director
and/or
shareholder of RAI.
18
Committees and
Meetings of the Board of Directors
The standing committees of the Board are the Audit and Finance
Committee, referred to as the Audit Committee, the Compensation
and Leadership Development Committee, referred to as the
Compensation Committee, and the Governance Committee. All of the
current standing committees of the Board are comprised of
non-management directors, who are independent as defined by
applicable NYSE listing standards as discussed above under
Determination of Independence of
Directors. Pursuant to the Governance Agreement, each of
the Board committees will have at least five members, though
currently the Audit Committee has one vacancy, the Compensation
Committee has two vacancies and the Governance Committee has one
vacancy. The Governance Agreement also provides that the
directors designated by B&W will have proportionate
representation on each Board committee, with at least one
director designated by B&W serving on each Board committee
so long as any directors designated by B&W serve on the
Board. At this time, B&W has agreed to only designate one
of its two designees to serve on the Compensation Committee, and
has not yet designated a replacement for Ms. Atkins, its
prior designee on the Compensation Committee. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, a director designated by B&W may not serve
on any Board committee if such service would violate mandatory
legal or exchange listing requirements or any other applicable
law that requires committee member independence as a condition
to a material benefit to RAI or any of its subsidiaries.
Each of the Boards three standing committees operates in
accordance with the terms of a written charter. Copies of each
such charter can be found in the Governance section
of our web site at www.reynoldsamerican.com, or can be
requested, free of charge, by writing to the Office of the
Secretary, Reynolds American Inc., P.O. Box 2990,
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
27102-2990.
Information regarding the current membership of each standing
committee of the Board is set forth in the table below, and
information regarding the activities of each standing committee
of the Board is presented following the table.
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RAI Board Standing Committees
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Audit
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Compensation
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Governance
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Director(1)
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Committee
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Committee
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Committee
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Martin D. Feinstein(2)(4)
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X
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(3)
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X
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Luc Jobin
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X
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Holly K. Koeppel
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X
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Nana Mensah
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X
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(3)
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X
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Lionel L. Nowell, III
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X
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H.G.L. (Hugo) Powell(2)
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X
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X
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(3)
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Thomas C. Wajnert
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John J. Zillmer
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X
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X
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Number of Meetings in
2010
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12
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6
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7
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(1) |
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Only independent, non-management directors serve on the standing
committees of the Board. |
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(2) |
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A B&W designee. |
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(3) |
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Chair of committee. |
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(4) |
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The Board has determined that Mr. Feinstein meets the
definition of an audit committee financial expert,
within the meaning of Item 407(d)(5) of
Regulation S-K. |
In 2010, the Board also established an ad hoc committee,
the Strategic Matters Review Committee, the purpose of which is
to evaluate, and provide feedback regarding, strategic plans and
initiatives proposed by management. Such committee met three
times during 2010. The members of the Strategic Matters Review
Committee are: Martin D. Feinstein, Luc Jobin, H.G.L. (Hugo)
Powell and Thomas C. Wajnert (Chair).
19
Audit and Finance
Committee
The Audit Committee, established in accordance with
Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended, referred to as the Exchange Act, is responsible for
assisting the Board of Directors in fulfilling its oversight
responsibilities by overseeing:
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that management has maintained the reliability and integrity of
the accounting policies, financial reporting and disclosure
practices and financial statements of RAI and its subsidiaries,
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that management has established and maintained processes to
assure that an adequate system of internal control is
functioning within RAI,
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that management has established and maintained processes to
assure compliance by RAI with all applicable laws, regulations
and RAI policies,
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that management has established and maintained processes to
ensure adequate enterprise risk management,
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the qualifications, independence and performance of RAIs
independent auditors and internal audit department, and
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the financial policies, strategies and activities, and capital
structure, of RAI.
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The Audit Committee is directly responsible for the appointment,
termination, compensation, retention, evaluation and oversight
of the work of RAIs independent auditors for the purpose
of preparing or issuing an audit report or performing other
audit, review or attestation services for RAI. The Audit
Committee also serves as a qualified legal compliance committee,
within the meaning of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002,
responsible for, among other things, reviewing reports by
RAIs attorneys of any material violations of securities
laws and any material breaches of fiduciary duties under
applicable law.
Compensation and
Leadership Development Committee
General. The Compensation Committee
is responsible for:
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overseeing and administering the policies, programs, plans and
arrangements for compensating the executive management of RAI
and its subsidiaries, and
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overseeing leadership talent development and succession planning
for the top executive leadership positions of RAI and its
subsidiaries (other than succession planning for RAIs
Chief Executive Officer which is performed by the Governance
Committee).
|
As part of its responsibilities, the Compensation Committee:
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approves, or makes recommendations to the Board with respect to,
the base salary and annual incentives payable to all of
RAIs executive officers, including the Chief Executive
Officer,
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approves, or makes recommendations to the Board with respect to,
compensation and grants of restricted stock, performance shares,
performance units and other long-term incentives to all of
RAIs executive officers, including the Chief Executive
Officer,
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reviews and evaluates risks arising from RAIs compensation
policies and practices, and
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administers certain plans and programs relating to employee
benefits, incentives and compensation.
|
The Compensation Committee is responsible for evaluating the
Chief Executive Officers performance, with input from all
members of the Board. Based on such evaluation, the Compensation
Committee recommends to the independent directors for their
approval any changes in the Chief Executive Officers
annual compensation. For a discussion of the Compensation
Committees policies relating to executive compensation,
see Executive Compensation Compensation
Discussion and Analysis below.
20
Delegation. Pursuant to the
Compensation Committee charter, the Chair of the Committee has
the authority to approve the compensation for persons at the
Executive Vice President level or below (except for RAIs
Chief Financial Officer, RAIs General Counsel and RJR
Tobaccos President) to the extent the Chair deems such
approval necessary and appropriate under the circumstances, and
if the Committee is not otherwise in session. In addition, the
Compensation Committee may, in its discretion and as it
considers appropriate, delegate such other of its powers and
responsibilities to other subcommittees, or to committees
comprised of officers or employees, except that grants to
persons who are subject to the Section 16 reporting
requirements may only be approved by a subcommittee comprised
solely of two or more non-employee directors, and grants
designed to be performance-based compensation within
the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986, as amended, referred to as the Code, may only be
approved by a subcommittee comprised solely of two or more
outside directors. In February 2010, the Compensation Committee
delegated to a committee consisting of Ms. Ivey, as
RAIs President and Chief Executive Officer, and Lisa J.
Caldwell, RAIs Executive Vice President and Chief Human
Resources Officer, the authority during the remainder of 2010 to
approve, outside of the normal, annual grant cycle, long-term
incentive grants under the Reynolds American Inc. 2009 Omnibus
Incentive Compensation Plan, referred to as the Omnibus Plan, to
persons at the Vice President level and below. Any such grants
made under that delegated authority were required to have the
same terms as the grants made to other employees as of
March 1, 2010, and any such additional long-term incentive
grants could not cause the maximum amount of the total 2010
long-term incentive grants approved by the Compensation
Committee to be exceeded. See Executive
Compensation Compensation Discussion and
Analysis Analysis of 2010 Compensation
Decisions Long-Term Incentive
Compensation Long-Term Incentive
Opportunity 2010 Long-Term Incentives below
for information regarding the general terms of the 2010
long-term incentive grants under the Omnibus Plan. In February
2011, the Compensation Committee made a similar delegation of
authority to a committee consisting of Mr. Delen, as
RAIs President and Chief Executive Officer-Elect, and
Ms. Caldwell for 2011
out-of-cycle
long-term incentive grants under the Omnibus Plan to persons at
the Vice President level and below.
Compensation
Consultants. Under its charter,
the Compensation Committee has the sole authority to retain any
compensation consultant for purposes of evaluating, and making
recommendations with respect to, the compensation of our
executive officers, as well as the sole authority to approve the
terms of any such consulting arrangement, including the fees
payable to the consultant. The Compensation Committee also has
the sole authority to terminate any compensation consultant that
it has retained. In addition to the retention of compensation
consultants, the Compensation Committee has the authority, under
its charter, to retain independent legal counsel or other
independent advisors to assist the Committee in performing its
duties.
In early 2010, Hewitt Associates spun off a part of its
executive compensation consulting practice into a separate and
independent entity called Meridian Compensation Partners, LLC,
referred to as Meridian. For 2010, the Compensation Committee
engaged Meridian to provide the Committee with recommendations
regarding executive compensation in light of market practices
and legal or regulatory considerations, and consistent with
RAIs needs and compensation philosophy. Meridian provided
the Compensation Committee with market or benchmark data to
assist the Committee in making determinations concerning senior
management base salary, annual incentive target levels and
long-term incentive target awards. A representative of Meridian
attended each regular meeting of the Compensation Committee in
2010. During 2010, the Compensation Committee requested that
Meridian work with RAIs management in preparing
appropriate executive compensation proposals for the
Committees review and consideration; provide independent,
candid advice to the Committee; and help ensure that the
Committee receives the information and counsel necessary to make
well-informed, reasoned decisions in the best interests of
RAIs shareholders on matters related to executive
compensation. For 2011, the Compensation Committee has continued
to engage Meridian as its independent compensation consultant.
In 2010, the Human Resources department of RAI engaged Hewitt
Associates to provide compensation advice on matters pertaining
to RAI executives whose compensation is not within the
Compensation Committees scope of review.
21
In the event management of RAI or its operating subsidiaries
desired to retain the same compensation consulting firm retained
by the Committee to provide other compensation consulting
services for positions at levels below those requiring the
approval of the Committee, pursuant to procedures established by
the Committee in February 2007, management of RAI and its
operating subsidiaries would be required to obtain the prior
approval of the Compensation Committee before engaging the same
compensation consulting firm if management expected that the
fees payable to such firm for consulting services provided at
managements direction would exceed $1 million for
such engagement or in the aggregate during any fiscal year. The
management of RAI and its operating subsidiaries did not engage
Meridian for any compensation consulting services in 2010.
In 2010, the Governance Committee also engaged Meridian to
assist in the evaluation of the compensation of RAIs
non-employee directors. For 2011, the Governance Committee has
continued to engage Meridian for such work.
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider
Participation. An SEC rule requires RAI
to disclose the existence of certain relationships involving any
member of RAIs Compensation Committee, on the one hand,
and RAI, on the other hand. Such relationships, referred to as
compensation committee interlocks and insider
participation include, among other things, where
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an executive officer of RAI served as a member of the
compensation committee of another entity, one of whose executive
officers served on RAIs Board or Compensation
Committee, or
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|
|
an executive officer of RAI served as a director of another
entity, one of whose executive officers served on RAIs
Compensation Committee.
|
During 2010, there were no compensation committee interlocks or
insider participation at RAI.
Corporate
Governance and Nominating Committee
General. The Governance
Committee:
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|
reviews the qualifications of candidates for nomination to the
Board and its committees,
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|
recommends to the Board nominees for election as directors,
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|
reviews and evaluates annually and recommends the processes and
practices through which the Board conducts its business,
|
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|
reviews and evaluates annually the assignment of the various
oversight responsibilities and activities of the Board
committees,
|
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|
reviews periodically the compensation of the Board in relation
to comparable companies and recommends to the Board any changes
needed to maintain appropriate and competitive Board
compensation,
|
|
|
|
initiates and oversees annually an evaluation of the performance
of the Board, the Board Committees, the Non-Executive Chairman
or Lead Director, as applicable, and, in conjunction with the
Non-Executive Chairman or Lead Director, the individual
directors in meeting their respective corporate governance
responsibilities,
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reviews RAIs Corporate Governance Guidelines and considers
the adequacy of such guidelines in light of current best
practices and in response to any shareholder concerns,
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reviews and reports to the Board on succession planning for
RAIs Chief Executive Officer, and
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may recommend an independent director to serve as Non-Executive
Chairman or, if there is no Non-Executive Chairman, as Lead
Director, after consultation with the Chair of the Governance
Committee or the Chairman of the Board, as applicable, in each
case after individually discussing with each of the other
directors such directors preference for Non-Executive
Chairman or Lead Director, as applicable, under the
circumstances described below under Board
Leadership Structure.
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22
Director Nomination Process. The
Board is responsible for selecting its members, subject to
shareholder approval and the relevant provisions of the
Governance Agreement, but delegates the screening process to the
Governance Committee with input from the Chairman of the Board,
the Chief Executive Officer (if different from the Chairman of
the Board) and the Lead Director (if there is one). The
Governance Committee uses the following methods for identifying
director nominees, other than incumbent directors being
considered for
re-election
or nominees designated by B&W pursuant to the Governance
Agreement:
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professional third-party search firms, which provide candidate
names, biographies and background information,
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the Governance Committees, the Boards and
managements networks of contacts, and
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shareholder recommendations.
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In connection with its process of identifying, screening and
recommending candidates for Board membership, the Governance
Committee evaluates each potential candidate against the
qualifications set forth in its committee charter and the
Corporate Governance Guidelines, and reviews the appropriate
skills and characteristics required of directors in the context
of prevailing business conditions and the then-existing
composition of the Board. The qualifications considered in the
selection of director nominees include the following:
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experience as a director of a publicly traded company,
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extent of experience in business, finance or management,
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overall judgment to advise and direct RAI and its operating
subsidiaries in meeting their responsibilities to shareholders,
customers, employees and the public, and
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the interplay of a candidates experience with the
experience of the other Board members and the extent to which
the candidate would be a desirable addition to the Board and any
of its committees.
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As stated in the Corporate Governance Guidelines, the objective
of the director nomination process is to create a diverse Board
that brings to RAI a variety of perspectives and skills derived
from high quality business and professional experience. To that
end, the Governance Committee considers the business experience
and diversity of a candidate when considering director nominees.
RAIs current Board is comprised of four members with
extensive experience in the tobacco industry and several other
members with experience in consumer goods, finance and regulated
industries. The Boards diversity also is reflected by the
fact that it counts a woman, two African Americans and four
non-U.S. citizens
among its members.
Additional policies regarding Board membership, as set forth in
the Corporate Governance Guidelines, include the following:
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a majority of the Board must be independent within the meaning
of the Corporate Governance Guidelines and the NYSE listing
standards,
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the Executive Chairman of the Board, if there is one, and the
Chief Executive Officer normally will be the only management
directors,
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a Board member, other than a non-independent designee of
B&W pursuant to the Governance Agreement, who ceases to be
active in his or her principal business or profession, or
experiences other changed circumstances that could diminish his
or her effectiveness as a Board member, is expected to offer his
or her resignation to the Board, which will determine whether
such member should continue to serve as a director, and
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the Board expects that no director will be nominated for
election or re-election to the Board following his or her
70th birthday.
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23
Incumbent directors are reviewed for suitability for continued
service on the Board by the Governance Committee and the full
Board prior to their nomination for re-election.
Candidates are recommended to the full Board for nomination for
election as directors only upon the affirmative vote of a
majority of the members of the Governance Committee.
Shareholder Nominations to the
Board. Shareholders may recommend
candidates for Board membership by submitting their
recommendations in writing to the Office of the Secretary,
Reynolds American Inc., P. O. Box 2990, Winston-Salem, North
Carolina
27102-2990.
The written recommendation must provide the following
information:
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the candidates name, age, business address and, if known,
residence address,
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the candidates principal occupation or employment,
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the number of shares of RAI common stock owned by the candidate,
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any other information relating to the candidate that is required
to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for election of
directors or is otherwise required by the rules and regulations
of the SEC promulgated under the Exchange Act,
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the written consent of the candidate to be named in the proxy
statement as a nominee, if applicable, to serve as a director if
elected, and to provide information the Board requests to
determine whether the candidate qualifies as an independent
director under applicable guidelines, and
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a description of all arrangements or understandings between the
shareholder (or shareholder related person, as such term is
defined in RAIs Bylaws), the candidate and any other
person or persons (naming such person or persons), pursuant to
which the recommendation is being made by the shareholder.
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The Governance Committee will evaluate any director candidate
recommended by a shareholder based upon the facts and
circumstances at the time of the receipt of such recommendation.
Applicable considerations would include:
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whether the Governance Committee currently is looking to fill a
new position created by an expansion of the number of directors,
or a vacancy that may exist on the Board,
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whether nomination of a particular candidate would be consistent
with the Governance Agreement,
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whether the current composition of the Board is consistent with
the criteria described in the Corporate Governance Guidelines,
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whether the candidate submitted possesses the requisite
qualifications that generally are the basis for selection for
candidates to the Board, as described in the Corporate
Governance Guidelines and as described above, and
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whether the candidate would be considered independent under the
Corporate Governance Guidelines and the NYSE listing standards.
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The Governance Committee will not alter the manner in which it
evaluates a candidate based on whether the candidate was
recommended by a shareholder or otherwise.
A shareholder also may nominate a person for election to the
Board at the 2012 annual meeting of shareholders by providing
notice and the other required information described in
RAIs Bylaws, in writing, to the Office of the Secretary,
Reynolds American Inc., P. O. Box 2990, Winston-Salem, North
Carolina
27102-2990,
for receipt between October 27, 2011, and November 26,
2011. RAIs Bylaws can be found in the
Governance section of our web site at
www.reynoldsamerican.com or may be obtained, free of
charge, from the Office of the Secretary.
24
Board Leadership
Structure
Under our Corporate Governance Guidelines, and subject to the
applicable provisions of the Governance Agreement, the Board
elects the Chairman of the Board and the Chief Executive Officer
on an annual basis in the manner and based on the criteria that
it deems appropriate and in the best interests of RAI and its
shareholders given the circumstances at the time of such
appointments. Similarly, the Board considers whether the roles
of Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer should be
separate and whether the Chairman of the Board should be an
independent director. In the event the Board decides to separate
the roles of the Chairman of the Board and the Chief Executive
Officer, and elect one of the independent directors as
Non-Executive Chairman, such Non-Executive Chairman is expected
to serve for at least three terms in succession. Under our
Corporate Governance Guidelines, if the positions of Chairman of
the Board and Chief Executive Officer are held by the same
person, the independent directors may elect, upon nomination by
the Governance Committee, an independent director to serve as
Lead Director.
From January 1, 2006 until October 31, 2010,
Ms. Ivey served as RAIs Chairman of the Board,
President and Chief Executive Officer. From May 6, 2008
until October 31, 2010, Mr. Wajnert served as
RAIs Lead Director. In October 2010, Ms. Ivey
announced her retirement from RAI, effective February 28,
2011. At its October 12, 2010 meeting, the Board decided
that Ms. Iveys retirement would be an opportune time
to separate the roles of Chairman of the Board and Chief
Executive Officer, and to elect a Non-Executive Chairman.
Accordingly, on October 31, 2010, Ms. Ivey resigned as
Chairman of the Board (but remained a member of the Board) and
was succeeded by Mr. Wajnert as Non-Executive Chairman. On
February 28, 2011, Ms. Ivey resigned from the Board
and as President and Chief Executive Officer of RAI. She was
succeeded as President and Chief Executive Officer by
Mr. Delen.
The Board believes that the existing leadership structure, under
which Mr. Wajnert serves as Non-Executive Chairman, and
Mr. Delen serves as President and Chief Executive Officer,
is the most appropriate and in the best interests of RAI and its
shareholders at this time. Given RAIs current needs and
Mr. Delens newness to the Chief Executive Officer
position, the Board believes this structure is optimal for RAI:
it allows Mr. Delen to focus on the
day-to-day
operation of the business, in particular the implementation of
RAIs total tobacco strategy, while allowing
Mr. Wajnert, the former Lead Director, to focus on
leadership of the Board, including leading the Board in its
review and assessment of the appropriateness of the long-term
strategic plan and initiatives of RAI and its operating
companies, the opportunities and risks that are inherent in such
strategic plan, and the initiatives and risk control plans
established to address such risks. Moreover, the Board believes
Mr. Wajnerts service as an independent Non-Executive
Chairman will promote the Boards consideration of diverse
viewpoints and will facilitate communication between the Board
and management.
Although the Board believes that this leadership structure is
currently in the best interests of RAI and its shareholders, the
Corporate Governance Guidelines provide the Board with the
flexibility to elect the same individual to the position of
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer if, in the
future, the Board determines that returning to such a leadership
structure would be appropriate.
Board
Meetings
The Corporate Governance Guidelines provide that each Board
meeting agenda shall include time for an executive session with
only directors and the Chief Executive Officer present, and an
executive session with only non-employee directors present. In
addition, the Corporate Governance Guidelines provide that at
the Board meeting following each annual meeting of shareholders,
the Board shall have an executive session with only independent
directors present. The Non-Executive Chairman, if one has been
elected, is responsible for presiding over executive sessions of
the non-management directors and the independent directors. If a
Lead Director has been appointed, then the Lead Director is
responsible for presiding over such executive sessions. In the
absence of the Non-Executive Chairman, or the Lead Director if
one has been appointed, the Chair of the Governance Committee
shall preside over executive sessions of the non-management
directors and the independent directors. Similarly, if no Lead
Director has been appointed, and the Chairman of the Board is an
employee of RAI or a subsidiary of RAI, then the Chair of the
Governance Committee shall preside over
25
executive sessions with only non-employee directors or
independent directors present. As noted above, Mr. Wajnert
served as Lead Director from May 6, 2008 through
October 31, 2010. Effective November 1, 2010, he
became the Non-Executive Chairman. Currently, Mr. Powell
serves as the Chair of the Governance Committee.
During 2010, there were nine meetings of the Board. Each
director attended at least 75% of the total meetings of the
Board and committees of which he or she was a member. The
Corporate Governance Guidelines provide that Board members are
expected to attend annual meetings of shareholders, barring
unavoidable circumstances that prevent attendance. All of our
current directors who were directors on May 7, 2010,
attended our annual shareholders meeting held on that date.
Risk
Oversight
The Board, together with the Audit Committee and Compensation
Committee, is primarily responsible for overseeing RAIs
risk management. The Non-Executive Chairman, if one has been
elected, is responsible for leading the Board in its risk
oversight role, particularly as to governance, critical
enterprise, business management, external and reputational
risks, and ensuring the Board understands and sets the
companys risk profile. The Non-Executive Chairman, with
input from the Governance Committee, also coordinates with the
Chairpersons of the Audit Committee and the Compensation
Committee to ensure that their respective board committees are
overseeing the management of the risks particular to their
subject areas and are communicating the material information
about such risks to the full Board so that it can view
RAIs risks on a fully integrated basis. On a semi-annual
basis, management of RAI and its operating companies, under the
direction of RAIs chief risk officer, identifies and
assesses significant risks. Each risk category, as well as the
consolidated risk profile, is reviewed and discussed with the
full Board or appropriate Board committee, based on the scope of
the risk and the expertise needed for oversight. The Board is
assigned and directly oversees risks that could have a broad
impact on RAI, strategic risks, as well as any risk that could
threaten a key growth strategy. The Compensation Committee is
assigned and oversees risks that may require its specific
expertise, such as human resources risks or compensation risks.
Consistent with NYSE regulations, the Audit Committee is
assigned and oversees managements processes to identify,
assess and manage risks. Additionally, the Audit Committee
oversees risks that may require its specific expertise, such as
financial reporting risks, as well as other risks that do not
fit into one of the foregoing categories.
Although the Board and its committees oversee RAIs risk
management strategy, management is responsible for implementing
and supervising
day-to-day
risk management processes. We believe this division of
responsibilities is the most effective approach for addressing
the risks faced by RAI. At meetings of the Board, the Audit
Committee or the Compensation Committee, as applicable,
management reports on the specific categories of risk for which
the Board or such committee is responsible. In particular,
management discusses its assessment of and strategy for managing
each category of risk. Each of the Audit Committee and the
Compensation Committee also regularly reports to the Board with
respect to the risk categories it oversees. These ongoing
discussions enable the Board, the Audit Committee and the
Compensation Committee to monitor RAIs exposure to and
mitigation of risk.
The existing Board leadership structure encourages communication
between management, including the Chief Executive Officer and
President, on the one hand, and the non-management directors,
including the Non-Executive Chairman or Lead Director, as
applicable, on the other hand. By fostering increased
communication, we believe that the current Board leadership
structure leads to the identification and implementation of
effective risk management strategies.
26
Director
Compensation
We provide to our non-employee directors (other than
Messrs. Daly, Durante and Withington, all of whom were
full-time employees of BAT during 2010) compensation for
their service on the Board in the form of retainers and meeting
fees, and certain equity awards, all as described in greater
detail below. See Payment for Services of
Certain Board Designees below for a discussion of the
compensation RAI pays to BAT for the service of
Messrs. Daly, Durante and Withington as directors of RAI.
Our non-employee directors (other than Messrs. Daly and
Withington, and while he was a director, Mr. Durante) are
collectively referred to as Outside Directors. RAI does not
compensate any director who is an employee of RAI or any of its
subsidiaries in his or her capacity as a director, except that
RAI does reimburse all directors for actual expenses incurred in
connection with attendance at Board and committee meetings,
including transportation, food and lodging expenses. If a guest
accompanies a director on a trip to a Board meeting and the
guest was not invited by RAI, then charges associated with that
guest will not be reimbursed by RAI. Transportation, food and
lodging expenses that are incurred by a guest and paid for by
RAI will be imputed as income to the director. RAI also
reimburses Outside Directors for the fees and expenses incurred
by them in connection with their attendance at one director
education program per year.
The Governance Committee, with the assistance of an outside
compensation consultant, periodically evaluates and recommends
to the full Board changes to the compensation program for
RAIs non-employee directors. In 2010, the Governance
Committee used Meridian to evaluate and provide recommendations
regarding the compensation program for the non-employee
directors and the Non-Executive Chairman. No executive officer
is involved in approving, or recommending changes to, any
elements of the director compensation program.
The following table shows the annual compensation paid by RAI to
the Outside Directors for their service on the Board during 2010.
2010 Director
Compensation Table (1)
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Fees Earned or
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Stock
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All Other
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Name
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Paid in Cash (3)($)
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Awards (4)($)
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Compensation (5)($)
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Total ($)
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Betsy S. Atkins(2)
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37,857
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122,911
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713
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160,481
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Martin D. Feinstein
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123,500
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144,340
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1,742
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269,582
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Luc Jobin
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96,000
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144,340
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2,148
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242,488
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Holly K. Koeppel
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85,500
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144,340
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950
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230,790
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Nana Mensah
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90,000
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144,340
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|
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2,466
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236,806
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Lionel L. Nowell, III
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96,000
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144,340
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5,316
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245,656
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H.G.L. (Hugo) Powell
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113,500
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144,340
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11,785
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269,625
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Thomas C. Wajnert
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178,178
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150,970
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2,474
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331,622
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John J. Zillmer
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60,000
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144,340
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1,466
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228,306
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(1) |
|
As an employee director, Ms. Ivey received no compensation
for her service on the Board. See Executive
Compensation below for information regarding the
compensation that she received in her capacity as RAIs
Chief Executive Officer and President. During 2010, RAI did not
pay any compensation directly to Messrs. Daly, Durante or
Withington for serving as directors. See
Payment for Services of Certain Board
Designees below for information regarding the compensation
RAI pays to BAT for the Board service of such persons. |
|
(2) |
|
Ms. Atkins resigned from the Board effective June 17,
2010. |
|
(3) |
|
The amounts in this column include Board and Board committee
retainers paid for service in 2010 and fees paid for Board and
Board committee meetings attended in 2010. In the case of
Mr. Wajnert, the amount also includes: (a) the
prorated portion of the supplemental retainer fee paid to him
for his service as Lead Director from January 2010 through
October 2010; (b) the prorated portion of the retainer fee
paid to him for his service as Non-Executive Chairman from
November 2010 through December 2010; and |
27
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(c) the first two months of the one-time transitional
services fee of $120,000 that is being paid to him over the
first 12 months of his service as Non-Executive Chairman
for additional advisory services he is providing to RAI as it
implements the new Board leadership structure. Amounts are shown
in this column notwithstanding a directors election to
defer his or her retainers and meeting fees pursuant to the plan
described below under Deferred Compensation
Plan. For additional information regarding director
meeting fees and retainers, see Annual
Retainers and Meetings Fees below. |
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(4) |
|
The amounts shown in this column represent the aggregate grant
date fair value (calculated in accordance with the Financial
Accounting Standards Boards Accounting Standards
Codification Topic 718, referred to as ASC 718) with
respect to awards made during 2010 under the Equity Incentive
Award Plan for Directors of Reynolds American Inc., referred to
as the EIAP. The amounts shown in this column do not equal the
value that any director actually received during 2010 with
respect to his or her EIAP awards. The assumptions upon which
the amounts in this column are based are set forth in
note 16 to consolidated financial statements contained in
our Annual Report on
Form 10-K
for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010, filed with the
SEC on February 23, 2011, referred to as the 2010 Annual
Report on
Form 10-K.
No Outside Director forfeited any stock awards during 2010. |
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No stock options were granted to Outside Directors in 2010, and
no stock options were held by Outside Directors as of
December 31, 2010. |
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(5) |
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The amounts shown in this column for 2010 include: |
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(a) |
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the value of matching gifts made on behalf of
Messrs. Jobin, Mensah, Nowell and Powell pursuant to the
program described below under Other Benefits
Matching Grants Program; |
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(b) |
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in the case of Mr. Powell, an amount equal to $835 for a
laptop used for Board meetings, the value of which was imputed
to him for income tax purposes; and |
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(c) |
|
the cost of life insurance premiums, for all Outside Directors
other than Mmes. Atkins and Koeppel and Mr. Powell, and
excess liability insurance premiums, for all Outside Directors,
paid by RAI for certain insurance offered to the Outside
Directors, as described below under Other
Benefits Insurance and Indemnification
Benefits. |
Annual Retainers
and Meeting Fees
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Each Outside Director receives an annual retainer of $60,000
(excluding the Non-Executive Chairman).
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The Lead Director receives a supplemental annual retainer of
$30,000.
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The Non-Executive Chairman receives an annual retainer of
$270,000. In addition, the Non-Executive Chairman receives a
one-time transitional services fee of $120,000, as described in
footnote 3 to the 2010 Director Compensation Table above.
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Each Outside Director who is a Chair of one of the standing
committees of the Board receives a supplemental annual retainer
as follows Audit Committee Chair: $20,000;
Compensation Committee Chair: $10,000; and Governance Committee
Chair: $10,000.
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Each Outside Director receives a Board meeting attendance fee of
$1,500 (excluding the Non-Executive Chairman), and members of
each Board committee receive an attendance fee of $1,500 for
each committee meeting attended (excluding the Non-Executive
Chairman). In addition, each Outside Director who is invited to
attend a meeting of any committee of which he or she is not a
member, and attends the meeting of such committee, receives the
same meeting fee as committee members (excluding the
Non-Executive Chairman).
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28
Deferred
Compensation Plan
Under the Amended and Restated Deferred Compensation Plan for
Directors of Reynolds American Inc., referred to as the DCP,
Outside Directors may defer payment of their retainers and
meeting fees until termination of service as a director or until
a selected year in the future. Participating directors may
elect, on an annual basis, to direct RAI to defer their
retainers and meeting attendance fees in 25% increments to a
cash account, a stock account or a combination of both. The plan
provides that amounts deferred to a cash account earn interest
at the prime rate as set by JPMorgan Chase Bank, and amounts
deferred to a stock account mirror the performance of, and
receive dividend equivalents based on, RAI common stock.
Participating directors are entitled to receive a distribution,
only in the form of cash, of their account balances either in
full on the deferral date or in up to ten annual installments
commencing on a selected future date.
Equity
Awards
RAI provides its Outside Directors with certain stock-based
awards pursuant to the terms of the EIAP. Upon election to the
Board, an Outside Director receives under the EIAP an initial
grant of 3,500 deferred stock units or, at the directors
election, 3,500 shares of RAI common stock. Upon
appointment as a Non-Executive Chairman of the Board, such
director receives a grant of 3,500 deferred stock units or, at
such persons election, 3,500 shares of RAI common
stock, so long as such director previously did not receive an
initial grant upon his or her election to the Board. In
addition, pursuant to the EIAP, prior to November 2010, each
Outside Director received on the date of each annual meeting of
shareholders (provided the Outside Director remained on the
Board after the date of such meeting), a grant of 2,000 (or, in
the case of a Non-Executive Chairman of the Board, 4,000)
deferred stock units or, at the directors election, 2,000
(or, in the case of a Non-Executive Chairman, 4,000) shares of
RAI common stock. Pursuant to the anti-dilution provisions of
the EIAP, as a result of RAIs
two-for-one
split of its common stock effected in November 2010, referred to
as the Stock Split, the number of deferred stock units and
shares of common stock referenced in the preceding sentence were
doubled. If RAI does not hold an annual meeting of shareholders
in any year, then the annual award under the EIAP will be made
to Outside Directors on the anniversary of the preceding
years annual meeting of shareholders. Shares of RAI common
stock awarded to Outside Directors in lieu of deferred stock
units upon a directors initial award or any annual award
under the EIAP will not bear any transfer restrictions, other
than any restrictions arising generally by virtue of federal and
state securities laws. Each Outside Director also is entitled to
receive a quarterly award of deferred stock units on the last
day of each calendar quarter, with the number of units being
equal to: $10,000 (or, in the case of a Non-Executive Chairman
of the Board, $20,000) divided by the average closing price of a
share of RAI common stock for each business day during the last
month of such calendar quarter. If a director has served for
less than the entire quarter, the number of units granted will
be prorated based upon the period of such persons actual
Board service during the quarter.
The deferred stock units granted under the EIAP receive
dividends at the same rate as RAI common stock, but the
dividends are credited in the form of additional deferred stock
units. The deferred stock units have no voting rights. For all
grants made under the EIAP on or prior to December 31,
2007, distribution of a directors deferred stock units
will be made on (or commencing on) January 2 following his or
her last year of service on the Board. For all grants under the
EIAP after December 31, 2007, distribution of a
directors deferred stock units will be made in accordance
with such directors election(s) to receive his or her
deferred stock units (1) on (or commencing on) January 2
following his or her last year of service on the Board, or
(2) on (or commencing on) the later of January 2 of a year
specified by such director and January 2 following his or her
last year of service on the Board. At the election of the
director, distributions may be made in one lump sum or in up to
10 annual installments. At the election of the director, the
payment of the initial and annual deferred stock unit grants may
be made in cash or in RAI common stock, which shares of stock
will not bear transfer restrictions other than any restrictions
arising generally by virtue of federal and state securities
laws. Distribution of the deferred stock units received in
connection with a quarterly award will be made only in cash.
Cash distributions of deferred stock units generally are based
on the average closing price of RAI common stock during December
of the year preceding payment. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
upon the death of a participating director (whether before or
after ceasing to serve as a director), any deferred stock
29
units then outstanding in such directors account will be
distributed in a single lump sum cash amount to the
directors designated beneficiary or estate, as the case
may be. Such distribution will be made after the end of the
quarter in which the plan administrator is notified of the
participants death and will be based upon the average
closing price of RAI common stock during that month.
An aggregate of 2,000,000 shares of RAI common stock have
been authorized for issuance under the EIAP. Shares relating to
awards under the EIAP that are forfeited, terminated or settled
in cash in lieu of stock will become available for future
grants. The EIAP also affords its administrator, the Governance
Committee, the discretion to grant Outside Directors options to
acquire shares of RAI common stock. Any such options will have
an exercise price equal to the per share closing price of RAI
common stock on the date of grant, will vest and become
exercisable in full six months after the date of grant and will
have a ten-year term. No options were granted to Outside
Directors in 2010, and no options currently are held by Outside
Directors under the EIAP.
Other
Benefits
Insurance
and Indemnification
Benefits.
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Each Outside Director is offered, during the term of his or her
service on the Board, life insurance coverage having a death
benefit of either $50,000 or $100,000. The Outside Director does
not pay for such coverage, but the value of the coverage is
imputed to the director for income tax purposes.
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Each Outside Director is offered, during the term of his or her
service on the Board, excess liability insurance coverage of
$10,000,000. The Outside Director does not pay for this
coverage, but the value of this coverage also is imputed to the
director. Such excess coverage may be extended for an additional
three-month period following the end of the directors
Board service, subject to the directors payment of the
premium for such period. Each Outside Director is responsible
for maintaining, at his or her own cost, underlying liability
insurance with certain limits depending upon the type of
underlying coverage.
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Each Outside Director is covered by RAIs business travel
insurance policy, which provides benefits of up to $500,000 upon
an Outside Directors death or accidental injury occurring
while the director is traveling in connection with his service
on the Board.
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All directors and officers of RAI and its subsidiaries are
covered by RAIs directors and officers
liability insurance policy, which has an aggregate coverage
limit of $395 million, with an additional $50 million
of coverage for non-employee directors and, subject to certain
conditions, employee directors.
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All directors are covered by the indemnification provisions
contained in RAIs Articles of Incorporation, and are
parties to individual indemnification agreements with RAI.
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Matching Grants Program. All
Outside Directors are eligible to participate in a matching
grants program sponsored by RAI and the Reynolds American
Foundation. Pursuant to this program, RAI or the Reynolds
American Foundation will match grants, on a
one-for-one
basis, that a director makes to an educational, art, cultural or
charitable organization. The maximum, aggregate annual amount of
the matching grants for each director is $10,000. The Reynolds
American Foundation will provide a matching grant up to the
first $4,000, and RAI will provide a matching grant up to the
next $6,000, for each qualifying contribution made by an Outside
Director. A director may participate in the matching grants
program through the end of the calendar year in which the
director terminates his or her service on the Board.
Payment for
Services of Certain Board Designees
In consideration for the service of the two BAT employee
directors on the Board, referred to as the BAT employee
directors, RAI pays BAT an annual fee, paid on a quarterly
basis, per director. Such amounts are paid to BAT in lieu of any
other compensation (other than the reimbursement of certain
expenses) to which
30
the BAT employee directors otherwise would be entitled in their
capacities as members of RAIs Board. For 2010, the amount
of the annual fee for each of the two BAT employee directors was
$215,020. As previously noted, Mr. Durante resigned from
the Board on December 1, 2010 (at which time Mr. Daly
commenced his service as a BAT employee director on the Board).
For 2011, the annual fee for the Board service of each of
Messrs. Daly and Withington will be $237,220.
Equity
Ownership Guidelines
After completion of five years of service as a member of
RAIs Board of Directors, each Outside Director is expected
to hold and retain a minimum of 20,000 shares of RAI common
stock. It is generally expected that a director will not dispose
of RAI common stock during the first five years of service on
the Board, unless the director holds and retains RAI common
stock in excess of the minimum threshold level of
20,000 shares. For purposes of the foregoing ownership
guidelines, RAI common stock includes:
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shares of RAI common stock beneficially owned by the director,
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deferred stock units or shares of RAI common stock granted to
the director under the EIAP, and
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deferred stock units received by the director as deferred
compensation under the DCP.
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These stock ownership guidelines do not apply to any director
who is also an officer or employee of BAT so long as such
director does not participate in any equity compensation plan
made available to RAIs non-employee directors. All
directors with at least five years of service currently hold
amounts in excess of the minimum threshold level, and those
directors with less than five years of service are making
progress in meeting the five-year minimum threshold goals.
Code of
Conduct
RAI has adopted a Code of Conduct that applies to all directors,
officers and employees of RAI and its subsidiaries, including
RAIs Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and
Chief Accounting Officer. All directors, officers and employees
annually complete a certification of compliance with the Code of
Conduct. The Code of Conduct is intended to constitute a
code of ethics within the meaning of
Item 406(b) of
Regulation S-K.
Any amendment to, or waiver from, a provision of RAIs Code
of Conduct (other than technical, administrative or other
non-substantive amendments) that applies to any director or
executive officer of RAI will be disclosed on our web site at
www.reynoldsamerican.com, by distributing a press release
or by filing a current report on
Form 8-K
with the SEC within four business days following the amendment
or waiver. The Code of Conduct can be found in the
Governance section of our web site at
www.reynoldsamerican.com, or can be requested, free of
charge, by writing to the Office of the Secretary, Reynolds
American Inc., P.O. Box 2990, Winston-Salem, North
Carolina
27102-2990.
Shareholder
Communications to the Board
Shareholders and other interested parties may communicate
directly with the Board or individual members of the Board by
submitting written correspondence to Reynolds American Inc.,
P.O. Box 2990, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
27102-2990.
Shareholders and other interested parties may communicate
directly with the non-management directors as a group by writing
to the Non-Executive Chairman, if one has been elected, or if a
Non-Executive Chairman has not been elected, to the Lead
Director, or if a Lead Director has not been appointed, to the
Chair of the Governance Committee at the foregoing address.
Additional information on our procedures for the handling of
communications from our shareholders and other interested
parties is contained in our Corporate Governance Guidelines,
which can be found in the Governance section of our
web site at www.reynoldsamerican.com.
31
Security
Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management
Stock
Ownership of Principal Shareholders
We have been notified by the persons in the following table that
they are beneficial owners (as defined by the rules of the SEC)
of more than 5% of RAI common stock.
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Amount and Nature of
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Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
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Beneficial Ownership
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Percent of Class(4)
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British American Tobacco p.l.c.
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245,036,858
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(1)
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Globe House
4 Temple Place
London, WC2R 2PG
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Brown & Williamson Holdings, Inc.
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245,036,858
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(1)
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103 Foulk Road, Suite 117
Wilmington, Delaware 19803
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Invesco Ltd.
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69,158,893
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(2)
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1360 Peachtree Street, NE
Atlanta, Georgia 30309
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Invesco Asset Management Limited
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67,984,298
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(3)
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30 Finsbury Square
London, England EC2A 1AG
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(1) |
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Based upon a Schedule 13G/A filed by B&W and BAT with
the SEC on February 12, 2009, (a) B&W and BAT
hold sole dispositive and sole voting power over these shares
and (b) B&W is the record and beneficial owner of
these shares, and BAT is the beneficial owner of such shares by
virtue of its indirect ownership of all of the equity and voting
power of B&W. |
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(2) |
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According to a Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on
February 10, 2011, by Invesco Ltd., on behalf of itself and
certain of its investment advisory subsidiaries, including
Invesco Asset Management Limited, Invesco PowerShares Capital
Management, Invesco Management S.A., Invesco Advisors, Inc.,
Invesco Asset Management (Japan) Limited, Invesco PowerShares
Capital Management Ireland Ltd, Van Kampen Asset Management,
Invesco Asset Management Deutschland GmbH and Invesco National
Trust Company. As of December 31, 2010, these
investment advisory subsidiaries held, with respect to these
shares, (i) sole voting power over 67,686,822 shares;
455,508 shares; 217,870 shares; 197,870 shares;
142,682 shares; 27,639 shares; 21,031 shares;
4,160 shares; and 3,331 shares, respectively, and
(ii) sole dispositive power over 67,984,298 shares;
455,508 shares; 217,870 shares; 156,163 shares;
232,816 shares; 27,639 shares; 21,031 shares;
16,160 shares; and 1,830 shares, respectively. As of
December 31, 2010, Invesco Asset Management Limited and
Invesco Asset Management (Japan) Limited held shared voting
power over 297,476 shares and 90,134 shares,
respectively; and Invesco Advisors, Inc. held shared dispositive
power over 43,600 shares. |
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(3) |
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See footnote 2 for additional information. |
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(4) |
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Information in this column is based
on shares
of RAI common stock outstanding on March 14, 2011, the
record date for the 2011 annual meeting. |
32
Stock
Ownership of Management
The following table indicates the number of shares of RAI common
stock beneficially owned as of March 14, 2011, by each
current director, each named executive officer and all directors
and executive officers as a group, based on information provided
to RAI by these individuals. In general, beneficial
ownership includes those shares a director or executive
officer has the power to vote, or the power to transfer, and
stock options that are exercisable currently or become
exercisable within 60 days. Except as described in the
footnotes to the table, each person has sole investment and
voting power over the shares for which he or she is shown as
beneficial owner.
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Amount and Nature of
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Name of Beneficial Owner
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Beneficial Ownership
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Percent of Class(5)
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Non-Employee Directors
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John P. Daly
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0
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*
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Martin D. Feinstein(1)
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0
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*
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Luc Jobin(1)
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15,000
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*
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Holly K. Koeppel(1)
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0
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*
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Nana Mensah(1)
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23,640
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*
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Lionel L. Nowell, III(1)
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16,574
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*
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H.G.L. (Hugo) Powell(1)(2)
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15,200
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*
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Thomas C. Wajnert(1)
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4,000
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*
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Neil R. Withington
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0
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*
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John J. Zillmer(1)
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19,000
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*
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Named Executive Officers
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Thomas R. Adams(3)
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*
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Daniel M. Delen(3)
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*
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Susan M. Ivey(3)
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*
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E. Julia (Judy) Lambeth(3)
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*
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Tommy J. Payne(3)
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*
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All directors, director nominees and executive officers as a
group (consisting of 26 persons)(4)
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*
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* |
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Less than 1% |
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(1) |
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The shares beneficially owned do not include the following
deferred common stock units, which are RAI common stock
equivalents awarded under the EIAP or credited under the DCP:
(a) 52,439 units for Mr. Feinstein;
(b) 4,503 units for Mr. Jobin;
(c) 21,599 units for Ms. Koeppel;
(d) 17,864 units for Mr. Mensah;
(e) 32,235 units for Mr. Nowell;
(f) 76,507 units for Mr. Powell;
(g) 54,463 units for Mr. Wajnert; and
(h) 6,152 units for Mr. Zillmer. Neither
Ms. Ivey nor Messrs. Daly, Delen or Withington
participate in the EIAP or DCP. |
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(2) |
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The shares owned by Mr. Powell have been pledged as
collateral to a third party. |
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(3) |
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The shares beneficially owned do not include the following
performance shares, granted under the Reynolds American Inc.
Long-Term Incentive Plan, referred to as the LTIP, and the
Omnibus Plan, which upon vesting will be paid to the participant
in RAI common stock: (a) 167,302 performance shares for
Mr. Adams; (b) 392,872 performance shares for
Mr. Delen; (c) 344,214 performance shares for
Ms. Ivey; (d) 58,086 performance shares for
Ms. Lambeth; and (e) 98,563 performance shares for
Mr. Payne. In the case of Mmes. Ivey and Lambeth, the
number of performance shares in this footnote reflects the pro
rata portion, based on their respective last dates of employment
with RAI, of performance shares granted to them in 2009 and 2010. |
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(4) |
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The shares beneficially owned by all directors, director
nominees and executive officers as a group: (a) do not
include an aggregate of 265,765 deferred common stock units
awarded to directors under the EIAP or |
33
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credited to directors under the DCP; (b) do not include an
aggregate of 1,859,733 performance shares granted to executive
officers under the LTIP and the Omnibus Plan; and
(c) include shares
of stock (as to which beneficial ownership is disclaimed) held
by the spouse of an executive officer. |
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(5) |
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The information in this column is based
on shares
of RAI common stock outstanding on March 14, 2011, the
record date for the 2011 annual meeting. For purposes of
computing the percentage of outstanding shares held by each
person named in the table, any security that such person has the
right to acquire within 60 days is deemed to be held by
such person, but is not deemed to be outstanding for the purpose
of computing the percentage ownership of any other person. |
Standstill
Provisions; Transfer Restrictions
In addition to provisions relating to the nomination and
election of directors to RAIs Board, the Governance
Agreement, among other things, prohibits BAT and its
subsidiaries from acquiring, or making a proposal to acquire,
beneficial ownership of additional shares of RAI common stock
until the earlier of July 30, 2014 (the tenth anniversary
of the Governance Agreement) and the date on which a significant
transaction is consummated (such period is referred to as the
Standstill Period). For purposes of the Governance Agreement, a
significant transaction means any sale, merger, acquisition or
other business combination involving RAI or its subsidiaries
pursuant to which more than 30% of the voting power or the total
assets of RAI would be received by any person or group. Under
the Governance Agreement, BAT and its subsidiaries also are
prohibited during the Standstill Period from taking certain
actions, including, without limitation, participating in certain
proxy solicitations with respect to RAI common stock and seeking
additional representation on RAIs Board. The Governance
Agreement provides several exceptions to the foregoing
prohibitions, including, without limitation, permitting BAT and
its subsidiaries to acquire additional shares of RAI common
stock in connection with certain BAT counteroffers made in
response to a third partys offer to enter into a
significant transaction involving RAI.
The Governance Agreement also restricts the ability of BAT and
its subsidiaries to sell or transfer shares of RAI common stock.
Specifically, during the term of the Governance Agreement, BAT
and its subsidiaries may not:
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sell or transfer RAI common stock if, to B&Ws
knowledge, the acquiring party would beneficially own 7.5% or
more of the voting power of all of RAIs voting stock after
giving effect to such sale or transfer, or
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in any six-month period, and except in response to certain
tender or exchange offers, sell or transfer RAI common stock
representing more than 5% of the voting power of all of
RAIs voting stock without first obtaining the consent of a
majority of the independent members of RAIs Board not
designated by B&W.
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Notwithstanding these restrictions, B&W may transfer any of
its shares of RAI common stock to BAT or its subsidiaries, and
any such transferee may make similar transfers, provided the
transferee agrees to be bound by the terms of the Governance
Agreement and, provided further, that all shares of RAI common
stock held by B&W and a permitted transferee will be taken
into account for purposes of calculating any ownership
thresholds applicable to B&W
and/or its
affiliates under the Governance Agreement. The Governance
Agreement will terminate upon the occurrence of various events,
including, without limitation, B&Ws ownership
interest in RAI falling below 15%, and the election by BAT and
B&W to terminate the Governance Agreement, which election
may be made in the event of RAIs material breach of
certain provisions of the Governance Agreement (and RAIs
failure to cure such breach in a timely manner). In other cases,
each of BAT and B&W, on the one hand, and RAI, on the other
hand, may terminate certain provisions of the Governance
Agreement upon the material breach of the Governance Agreement
by the other (subject to the breaching partys right to
cure the breach in a timely manner), except that other
provisions of the Governance Agreement will remain in effect.
34
In addition to the provisions of the Governance Agreement
described in the preceding three paragraphs and under the
heading The Board of Directors above, the Governance
Agreement also grants BAT and its subsidiaries the right to have
shares of RAI common stock held by them to be registered under
the securities laws in certain circumstances, requires the
approval of a majority of the directors designated by B&W
to authorize certain issuances or repurchases of RAI securities,
and requires the approval of B&W, as a shareholder of RAI,
for RAI to effect certain transactions.
A copy of the Governance Agreement and Amendments No. 1 and
No. 2 to the Governance Agreement are included as
Exhibits 10.8, 10.9 and 10.10, respectively, to our 2010
Annual Report on
Form 10-K.
Section 16(a)
Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance
Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires RAIs
directors and executive officers, and any persons holding more
than 10% of RAIs equity securities, to file with the SEC
reports disclosing their initial ownership of RAIs equity
securities, as well as subsequent reports disclosing changes in
such ownership. To RAIs knowledge, based solely on a
review of such reports furnished to it and written
representations by certain reporting persons that no other
reports were required, during the 2010 fiscal year, RAIs
directors, executive officers and greater than 10% beneficial
owners complied with all Section 16(a) filing requirements.
Executive
Compensation
Compensation
Discussion and Analysis
Introduction
The Boards Compensation Committee, comprised solely of
independent directors, is responsible for structuring and
administering the compensation programs and plans in which named
executive officers participate. Information regarding the
Compensation Committees other duties, responsibilities and
activities is set forth above under Committees and
Meetings of the Board of Directors Compensation and
Leadership Development Committee General. The
table below lists the name, title and employer of each of our
named executive officers for 2010:
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Name
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Title
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Employer
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Susan M. Ivey(1)
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Former President and Chief Executive Officer
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RAI
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Thomas R. Adams
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Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
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RAI
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Daniel M. Delen(2)
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President and Chief Executive Officer
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RAI
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E. Julia (Judy) Lambeth(3)
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Former Executive Vice President Corporate Affairs,
General Counsel and Assistant Secretary
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RAI
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Tommy J. Payne(4)
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President
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Niconovum USA
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(1) |
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During 2010, Ms. Ivey served as President and Chief
Executive Officer of RAI. She retired from RAI on
February 28, 2011. |
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(2) |
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During 2010, Mr. Delen served as the President and Chief
Executive Officer of RJR Tobacco. He became the President and
Chief Executive Officer Elect of RAI effective
January 1, 2011, and the President and Chief Executive
Officer of RAI effective March 1, 2011. |
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(3) |
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Ms. Lambeths employment with RAI terminated on
December 31, 2010. |
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(4) |
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Mr. Payne is the President of Niconovum USA, Inc., referred
to as Niconovum USA, a wholly owned subsidiary of RAI. |
35
Executive
Summary
RAIs executive compensation program is structured to
pay for performance upon achievement of annual and
long-term performance goals designed to enhance shareholder
value. In a year of economic and industry-related challenges,
RAI and its operating companies delivered excellent performance,
driving higher earnings and margins, and allowing us to return
substantial value to our shareholders. In 2010, the successful
execution of our business strategies focused on growth brand
performance, while improving productivity and efficiency,
resulted in growth in operating income, net income and earnings
per share over 2009. Strong marketplace performance in 2010 saw
us exceed all but one of our market share and volume targets and
increase market share for all four key brands Camel,
Pall Mall, Grizzly and Natural American Spirit. Our ongoing
commitment to enhance shareholder value was further demonstrated
in a dividend increase of 8.9%, a
two-for-one
stock split and an increase in our dividend payout target from
75% to 80% of our net income.
For 2010, our named executive officers earned the following
compensation based on Compensation Committee decisions after
consideration of our strong performance against pre-established
company goals and objectives:
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Base salary increases in early 2010 of 3% to 6% of base salary
were driven by individual performance ratings for the prior year
using the same process used for all employees in the company.
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2010 annual incentive awards were earned at 118% of target,
reflecting strong 2010 performance against both financial and
marketplace goals set at the beginning of 2010.
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Performance units granted in 2008 vested at 116% of target
because (1) we exceeded the 2010 EPS goal that was set at
the time of the grant, (2) our
2008-2010
Total Shareholder Return of 22.6% was in the top one-third of
our comparator peer group (the Standard and Poors Food and
Beverage Index plus three tobacco companies) and (3) we
maintained a minimum quarterly dividend of $0.85 per share
($0.425 after the Stock Split) throughout 2008, 2009 and 2010.
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Restricted stock granted in 2008 vested because we maintained a
minimum quarterly dividend of $0.85 per share ($0.425 after the
Stock Split) throughout 2008, 2009 and 2010. Meanwhile, the
vested stock rose in value from its March 6, 2008 grant
price of $30.95 (as adjusted for the Stock Split) to
$ on the March 6, 2011
vesting date, the same as the growth in other shareholders
share prices.
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In addition, our named executive officers own a significant
amount of RAI common stock because of our stock ownership
guidelines and have three years of outstanding long-term
incentive grants that will pay out in RAI common stock. The
value of these current and future shareholdings rose and fell in
the same way and with the same impact that share value rose and
fell for our other shareholders in 2010.
The following discussion should be read together with the
information presented in the compensation tables, the footnotes
and the narratives to those tables and the related disclosures
appearing elsewhere in this proxy statement.
36
Compensation
Decisionmaking Process
Compensation
Philosophy and Objectives
Our executive compensation programs serve two primary
objectives to attract, motivate, and retain
exceptional management talent, and to reward our management for
strong performance and the successful execution of our business
plans and strategies. Consistent with these objectives, a
meaningful portion of the annual compensation, and all of the
long-term compensation, of each named executive officer is
variable, or at risk, in that the receipt or value
of that compensation depends upon the attainment of specific
performance goals by RAI
and/or its
operating subsidiaries. This compensation structure aligns
managements interests with the long-term interests of our
shareholders. In addition, our executive compensation programs
are designed to provide adequate incentives to overcome the
reluctance that some people may have to work in a controversial
industry, such as the tobacco industry.
Compensation
Consultant
The Compensation Committee engages an independent compensation
consultant who provides advice and counsel and reports directly
to the Committee. In 2010, this consultant was Meridian
Compensation Partners, LLC, referred to as Meridian. Throughout
2010, at the Compensation Committees direction, Meridian
prepared, presented and made recommendations on peer group data,
competitive market pay, compensation program structure and risk
management, compensation components, general market trends and
legislative and regulatory changes, which recommendations the
Committee used in its compensation decision making process. In
addition, at the Compensation Committees direction,
management provided all materials prepared for Compensation
Committee meetings to Meridian, and discussed the materials and
recommendations with Meridian, in advance of each Compensation
Committee meeting. A representative of Meridian attended each
regular meeting of the Compensation Committee in 2010 and, at
each such meeting, met with the Committee in executive session
without management present at both the beginning and end of the
meeting. Information regarding the Compensation Committees
policy governing managements use of compensation
consultants is set forth above under Committees and
Meetings of the Board of Directors Compensation and
Leadership Development Committee Compensation
Consultants.
Peer
Group
In evaluating and determining appropriate levels of base salary
and annual and long-term incentives for our named executive
officers, the Compensation Committee annually reviews
competitive peer group information showing the compensation paid
to executives holding similar positions at a peer group of
companies. The peer group used by the Compensation Committee for
2010 continued to consist of a combination of those companies
that compete directly with our operating subsidiaries in the
tobacco business Altria Group, Inc., Lorillard, Inc.
and Phillip Morris International Inc. and certain
companies outside of the tobacco industry that sell
brand-focused consumer products and have annual revenues ranging
from one-half to two times that of RAI. RAIs revenues for
2009 were $8.4 billion, an amount that was between the
overall peer groups median annual revenues of
$8.0 billion and average annual revenues of
$9.8 billion. The peer group represents those companies, in
terms of industry and relative revenue size, that RAI and its
operating subsidiaries were most likely to compete against for
senior executive talent in 2010.
In the fourth quarter of 2009, at the Compensation
Committees direction, its independent compensation
consultant reviewed and updated the 2009 peer group, using
information from Hewitt Associates Total Compensation
Measurementtm
DataBase, to ensure that each of the companies continued to meet
the Committees criteria for inclusion in the comparator
group. For 2010, UST, Inc. and Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company were
eliminated from the peer group as a result of being acquired by
Altria Group, Inc. and Mars, Incorporated, respectively.
37
The peer group used by the Compensation Committee for its 2010
compensation decisions consisted of the following
33 companies operating in the food, beverage, tobacco or
consumer products industries:
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Altria Group, Inc.
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Kellogg Company
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Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc.
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Kimberly-Clark Corporation
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Avery Dennison Corporation
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Land OLakes
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Avon Products, Inc.
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LOreal USA, Inc.
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Campbell Soup Company
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Lorillard, Inc.
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Chiquita Brands International
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Molson Coors Brewing Company
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Clorox Company
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Nestle Purina PetCare Company
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Colgate-Palmolive Company
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Nestle USA
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ConAgra Foods, Inc.
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Newell Rubbermaid Inc.
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Diageo North America, Inc.
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Phillip Morris International Inc.
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Eastman Kodak Company
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Pitney Bowes Inc.
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Fortune Brands, Inc.
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S.C. Johnson Consumer Products
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General Mills, Inc.
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Sara Lee Corporation
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H. J. Heinz Company
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Sherwin-Williams Company
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Hallmark Cards, Inc.
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Unilever United States, Inc.
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Hershey Company
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United Stationers, Inc.
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Hormel Foods Corporation
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Tally
Sheets
As in prior years, in September 2009 the Compensation Committee
reviewed tally sheets for each of our named executive officers
as part of its annual review of RAIs executive
compensation program. These tally sheets, prepared at the
direction of the Compensation Committee by its independent
compensation consultant with assistance from management,
summarized for each such executive officer:
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the total compensation package for each of the last four years,
including the value of each compensation component
base salary, annual bonus (target and actual), long-term
incentives, benefits and perquisites;
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current ownership of RAI common stock and the value of such
stock at various stock prices;
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the potential value of existing unvested long-term incentives at
various stock prices and the realized gains from prior long-term
incentive awards; and
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amounts payable upon the termination of employment under various
scenarios.
|
The tally sheets were updated in February and September of 2010
to reflect any changes resulting from any interim compensation
actions, including promotions, salary adjustments and the
proposed 2010 merit increases. The bi-annual reviews show the
Compensation Committee the cumulative effect in value of its
various executive compensation decisions, help the Committee see
how making a change in one compensation program or element may
impact another compensation program or element or an executive
officers overall compensation, and prevent the Committee
from making compensation decisions in isolation. In addition,
the tally sheets help the Compensation Committee see the impact
of stock price changes and performance leverage on the value of
the long-term incentives and provide perspective on wealth
accumulation from our compensation programs and the
companys obligations in the event of terminations of
employment under various scenarios. After consideration of all
the information, the Compensation Committee determined that our
executive compensation program as it applied to each of the
named executive officers continued to be consistent with our
compensation objectives and made no material changes to the
overall structure of the program or any individual element of
pay.
38
Role of
Management
Management plays an important but limited role in the process of
setting the executive compensation for our named executive
officers. Our Chief Executive Officer, with assistance from the
Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, and
in consultation with the Compensation Committees
independent consultant, develops compensation recommendations
for the Committees consideration, including:
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business performance targets and scoring grids for the annual
and long-term incentive programs;
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base salary, target annual bonus and long-term incentive
opportunities; and
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any adjustments to the reported financial results for purposes
of determining incentive performance scores or adjustments to
incentive awards.
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Our Chief Executive Officer also has an indirect role in
determining the annual base salary merit increase for the other
named executive officers by assigning each of them an individual
annual performance rating. As discussed below, the amount of
each named executive officers proposed base salary merit
increase for the next year is determined based on his or her
individual performance rating category and the specific merit
increase amount for that rating category. The independent
members of the Board, or the Compensation Committee for
Mr. Payne, must then approve the proposed base salary
increases for such named executive officers. As discussed below,
the compensation of our Chief Executive Officer is determined by
the Compensation Committee, after consultation with its
independent compensation consultant, and recommended to the
Board for approval. No executive officer has any role in
determining the compensation of the Chief Executive Officer.
Analysis of
2010 Compensation Decisions
The structure, material components and objectives of our
compensation program for the named executive officers did not
materially change from 2009 to 2010. The Compensation Committee
again designed the program to focus our named executive officers
on achieving our short-term and long-term financial and
strategic goals, and increasing shareholder value, while
limiting excessive risk taking. The material components of the
2010 compensation program consisted of annual base pay and
perquisites, an annual cash incentive, long-term incentive
compensation, severance benefits payable under certain
termination circumstances and retirement benefits. The 2010
compensation decisions related to each of these components is
discussed and analyzed below, together with information about
RAIs other compensation policies and practices.
Annual
Compensation
Base
Salary
General. We pay base salary because
it is a standard element of pay for executive positions and is
required for talent attraction and retention. When determining
the annual base salary for each of our executive officers when
he or she is first hired as, or promoted to become, an executive
officer, we generally target the officers salary at the
50th percentile of those persons in the peer group holding
a comparable position to provide competitive pay. We also
consider the persons experience and, in the case of a new
hire, whether such person is employed elsewhere (and, if so, at
what rate) when deciding to establish an executive
officers initial salary either above or below the
50th percentile of the comparable peer group position.
The Compensation Committee approves the initial base salary for
all executive officers at the senior vice president level and
above, except for RAIs Chief Executive Officer, Chief
Financial Officer, General Counsel and RJR Tobaccos
President, which positions initial base salaries require
the approval of the independent members of the Board based on
the Committees recommendation. After an executive
officers base salary is first set, he or she, like all
other employees, is eligible to receive an annual base salary
merit increase based on his or her individual performance rating
in the same manner and under the same merit increase table
generally applicable to all employees of RAI and its
subsidiaries, as described below.
39
2010 Base Salary
Decisions. Each of our employees,
including our named executive officers, established individual
objectives for 2009 that were consistent with our fundamental
core values (principled, creative, dynamic and passionate
behavior) and our strategic and operational goals for the year.
In February 2010, the Compensation Committee, with input from
the Board, evaluated the performance of Ms. Ivey as to her
individual objectives, and Ms. Ivey evaluated the
performance of the other named executive officers, as to their
individual objectives. Based on these evaluations, the
Compensation Committee, in the case of Ms. Ivey, and
Ms. Ivey, in the case of the other named officers, assigned
the named executive officer a performance rating in one of five
categories set forth below. In each case the assigned
performance rating was not the result of any specific formulaic
process or mathematical calculation. Instead, the Compensation
Committees or Ms. Iveys subjective assessment
of each named executive officers overall performance on
his or her individual objectives during the year, rather than a
calculated amount for each objective, drove the determination of
the performance ratings. Depending on each named executive
officers performance rating, he or she was eligible to
receive a base salary merit increase, effective April 1,
2010, based on the following merit increase table approved by
the Compensation Committee:
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Performance
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Rating
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Merit Increase Factor
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Consistently and significantly exceeds
expectations
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Exceeds
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2 times target
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Outperforms some expectations and fully
meets remaining expectations
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High Achieves
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1.25 times target
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Fully meets expectations
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Achieves
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target
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Meets some but not all expectations
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Almost Achieves
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0.5 times target
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Does not meet expectations
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Fails to Meet
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0
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Under this merit increase table, all employees, including the
named executive officers, receiving a rating in a particular
category received the same merit increase. For 2010, management
reviewed a market outlook and projected 2010 merit increase
budget data for the food, beverage and tobacco industries in
general. After reviewing such information and the companys
business outlook for 2010, management recommended, and the
Committee approved, a target merit increase of 3.0%, an amount
consistent with the median data for our industry and the same
target merit increase as used in 2009.
Each named executive officers 2009 performance rating,
merit increase factor (expressed as a percentage of such
officers base salary immediately prior to such increase),
2010 base salary merit increase and 2010 base salary, effective
April 1, 2010, as approved by the Board and Compensation
Committee, are shown in the table below:
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2010
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Merit
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Base Salary
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2009
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Increase
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Merit
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2010
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Performance
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Factor
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Increase
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Base Salary
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Executive
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Rating
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(%)
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($)
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($)
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Susan M. Ivey(1)
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Exceeds
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6.00
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74,000
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1,233,000
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Thomas R. Adams
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High Achieves
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3.75
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19,900
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551,700
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Daniel M. Delen(1)(2)
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Exceeds
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6.00
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50,300
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862,900
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E. Julia (Judy) Lambeth
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Achieves
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3.00
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17,100
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586,100
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Tommy J. Payne(1)
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Achieves
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3.00
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12,500
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427,200
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(1) |
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As described in more detail below under Salary Increase
Limitations, all, in the case of Ms. Ivey, and a
portion, in the case of Messrs. Delen and Payne, of the
2010 base salary merit increases for such executives were paid
in a lump sum to them. |
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(2) |
|
In February 2010, after review of a change in the scope of
Mr. Delens accountabilities and the market data for
positions with similar accountabilities, the Compensation
Committee recommended, and the Board approved, a 6.0% ($47,500)
base salary adjustment for Mr. Delen, effective
April 1, 2010, in addition to his merit increase reflected
in this table. Mr. Delens 2010 base salary shown in
this table includes both his base salary adjustment and his 2010
merit increase. |
40
Salary Increase Limitations. To
ensure that base salary levels do not become too costly and do
not escalate above a range that is competitive in the market, we
generally impose a cap on the amount of the annual base salary
of any salaried employee, including the base salary of any named
executive officer. If the increase in annual base salary
resulting from the annual merit review process, a change in
responsibilities or a promotion would cause the base salary to
exceed the 65th percentile for those persons in the peer
group holding a comparable position, then the employee or named
executive officer will receive (in the pay period immediately
following the effective date of the increase) the amount of such
excess in a lump sum cash payment. Any such lump sum cash
payment is not taken into account for purposes of calculating
amounts payable under the annual incentive plan, described
below, but is considered in determining benefits under other
plans, such as our defined contribution and defined benefit
plans.
For 2010, Ms. Iveys base salary prior to any merit
increase exceeded the 65th percentile cap. As a result, her
entire 2010 merit increase was paid to her in the form of a lump
sum. The 2010 merit increases for Messrs. Delen and Payne
placed each of them above the 65th percentile cap for their
respective positions and, as a result, the following portions of
their 2010 merit increases in excess of the cap were paid to
them in a lump sum: $25,800 for Mr. Delen and $600 for
Mr. Payne.
Annual Incentive
Compensation
Overview of Annual Incentive
Opportunity. A significant portion of
each named executive officers annual compensation is
linked directly to the attainment of specific corporate
financial and operating targets. We believe that the named
executive officers holding positions giving them the authority
to make critical decisions affecting the overall performance of
RAI should have a material percentage of their annual
compensation contingent upon the performance of RAI
and/or its
operating subsidiaries. Moreover, the greater the
responsibilities a particular named executive officer has, the
greater his or her annual cash incentive opportunity should be.
The named executive officers annual cash incentives and
annual base salaries, together, are targeted at the mid-point
between the 50th and 75th percentiles of the peer
group. The Compensation Committee and management believe that
targeting to this level is consistent with our competitors in
the tobacco industry and allows RAI to be competitive in the
marketplace for executive talent. Further, in evaluating whether
RAIs annual incentive (or any other element of RAIs
executive compensation program) provides an adequate inducement
to attract and retain highly qualified executive talent, the
Compensation Committee is mindful of the reluctance that certain
persons may have to work for RAI or its operating subsidiaries
given the decline in the social acceptability of smoking and the
controversial nature of the tobacco industry.
Each named executive officer is eligible to receive an annual
cash incentive based on a target incentive opportunity expressed
as a percentage of base salary, but the actual annual incentive
payout may be higher or lower than the targeted amount, as
explained in further detail below.
Annual Incentive for Named Executive
Officers. In 2010, the annual incentive
cash opportunity for a specific group of executive officers,
including the named executive officers, was provided under the
shareholder-approved Omnibus Plan in order to allow us to take
advantage of certain tax deductions for performance-based
compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code. See
Other Compensation Policies Deductibility of
Compensation below for additional information about our
philosophy on structuring our executive compensation for tax
purposes.
For 2010, our annual incentive program for our named executive
officers involved a maximum performance metric based on our cash
net income results for the year and designed to meet the
requirements for qualified performance-based compensation under
the Code. Achievement of the maximum performance metric
established a maximum limitation on the dollar amount of the
annual cash incentive that could be paid to each named executive
officer for the 2010 performance period (specifically by
establishing a maximum award pool that could be paid to each
named executive officer). The Compensation Committee, using
negative discretion, then paid a reduced annual cash
incentive to each named executive officer after considering the
performance of RAI and its operating companies measured by a set
of underlying performance
41
metrics and targets designed to reflect in more detail the
degree to which we achieved our specific business goals for the
year.
2010 Annual Incentives. In February
2010, the Board and Compensation Committee approved a
performance formula based on RAIs cash net income (which
performance metric was previously approved by RAIs
shareholders) for determining the maximum annual incentive award
pool for each named executive officer under the Omnibus Plan for
2010. Under the formula, the award pool for each of the named
executive officers was determined based on the following
percentages of RAIs cash net income: Ms. Ivey =
0.40%; Mr. Adams = 0.15%; Mr. Delen = 0.20%;
Ms. Lambeth = 0.15%; and Mr. Payne = 0.15%. For
purposes of determining such award pools, the term cash
net income means net income from continuing operations in
the consolidated statement of income adjusted to eliminate the
impact of non-cash items, such as depreciation, amortization,
unrealized gains and losses, intangible asset impairments and
other non-cash gains/losses included in net income (as reported
in RAIs 2010 Annual Report on
Form 10-K).
The maximum annual incentive payout that any named executive
officer could receive for 2010 was limited to the award pool
determined based on RAIs 2010 cash net income and any
award limitations contained in the Omnibus Plan.
In February 2010, the Board and Compensation Committee also
approved the 2010 target annual incentive opportunity,
denominated as a percentage of annual base salary, for each of
the named executive officers. In contrast to the cash net income
award pools established to set the maximum annual incentive
payout amount for each named executive officer, the target
annual incentive opportunity represented the value of the annual
cash incentive that the Board and Compensation Committee
expected, as of the beginning of the performance period, to pay
out for target company performance during the performance
period. The 2010 target annual incentive opportunity, expressed
as a percentage of annual base salary and a dollar amount, for
each of the named executive officers is set forth below under
2010 Annual Incentive Payouts.
Overview of 2010 Underlying Performance
Metrics. For 2010, the Compensation Committee
used the annual incentive performance metrics, referred to as
the underlying performance metrics, set forth in the table below
to guide its decisions on whether to use negative discretion to
reduce the annual incentive awards based on the cash net income
maximum award pools because such performance metrics were
reflective of the overall performance of RAI and its operating
companies and were believed to have a positive correlation with
shareholder returns.
42
The table below summarizes the underlying performance metrics,
and RAIs performance on such metrics, considered by the
Compensation Committee in determining the final annual incentive
award payouts for the named executive officers for 2010.
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2010
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Performance Metric(1)
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Weighting
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Threshold
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Target
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Maximum
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Performance(4)
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Score(4)
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|
RAI Operating Income ($ in millions)
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40
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%
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$
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2,014
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$
|
2,518
|
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$
|
3,022
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$2,549
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106%
|
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RAI Net Income ($ in millions)
|
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10
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%
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$
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1,143
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$
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1,429
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$
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1,715
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$1,456
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109%
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Market Share:
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RJR Tobacco Growth Brands
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Camel
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12
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%
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(3)
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(3)
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(3)
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Above Target
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128%
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Pall Mall
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8
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%
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(3)
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(3)
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(3)
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Below Target
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89%
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Total RJR Tobacco(2)
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10
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%
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(3)
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(3)
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(3)
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Above Target
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103%
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ASC Moist Snuff
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13
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%
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(3)
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(3)
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(3)
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Above Target
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103%
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Shipment Volume:
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Natural American Spirit
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7
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%
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(3)
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(3)
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(3)
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Above Target
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123%
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Total Weighted Score
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108%
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Performance
Adjustment(5)
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10%
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Final Payout Score
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118%
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(1) |
|
For additional information on the underlying performance metrics
and scoring, see the narrative under the heading 2010
Annual Incentives following the 2010 Grants of
Plan-Based Awards Table below. |
|
(2) |
|
The Total RJR Tobacco metric is based on the market share for
RJR Tobaccos total business, excluding private label
brands. |
|
(3) |
|
The 2010 market share and shipment volume targets are not
included in this table given the competitively sensitive nature
of that information. For additional information on the market
share and shipment volume targets and performance against such
targets, see Performance Against 2010
Underlying Performance Metrics below. |
|
(4) |
|
For purposes of evaluating the performance and calculating the
scores for RAI operating income and RAI net income, the
Compensation Committee excluded the impact of certain items, in
accordance with a pre-approved process that adjusts for
unanticipated, unusual or non-recurring events and is consistent
with the manner in which the targets were established. The
following items, all of which were disclosed in our earnings
releases, were excluded: charges of $27 million, after-tax,
related to the impact of the health-care subsidy tax; losses
from discontinued operations of $216 million, after-tax,
related to the Canadian governments settlements; asset
impairment and exit charges of $38 million, pre-tax,
related to plant closings; implementation and integration costs
of $60 million, pre-tax, primarily related to plant
closings and the expansion of RJR Tobaccos field
trade-marketing organization to serve ASC, as defined below,
through a services agreement; and non-cash goodwill and
trademark impairment charges of $32 million, pre-tax. |
|
(5) |
|
The Compensation Committee approved an addition to the annual
incentive payout score of 10 percentage points for the
reasons set forth below under Performance
Against 2010 Underlying Performance Metrics. |
Rationale for 2010 Underlying Performance
Metrics. For 2010, we used the same set of
underlying performance metrics for employees of RAI and all of
its operating companies in order to focus the entire
organization on overall financial and marketplace performance
and to further align the annual incentive program with the
interests of RAIs shareholders.
The 2010 annual incentive program continued to place significant
emphasis on financial metrics tied to RAIs overall
earnings: operating income and net income. Although the combined
weighting of these two financial metrics was reduced slightly
for 2010, from 60% to 50%, the continued emphasis on operating
43
income and net income reflected the companys focus on
increasing profitability in its operating companies and the
importance of creating shareholder value as such measures help
to drive RAIs common stock price. The net income measure
also has a direct impact on the amount of dividends paid to
RAIs shareholders, given the Boards stated policy of
returning approximately 80% of RAIs net income to
shareholders in the form of dividends.
An increase in the combined weighting of RAIs marketplace
metrics market share and shipment volume
from 40% to 50% reflected the companys continuing focus on
the key strategic growth areas for its operating companies.
Since RJR Tobaccos business is dependent on the
U.S. cigarette business, and cigarette consumption in the
U.S. has been declining and is expected to continue to
decline, increasing the market share of its two growth brands
remains a key factor to RJR Tobaccos, and thus RAIs,
future success, and is a key element in RJR Tobaccos brand
portfolio strategy. Consistent with that strategy, the market
share metrics continued to include RJR Tobaccos two growth
brands: Camel (including Camel smoke-free tobacco products) and
Pall Mall, along with Total RJR Tobacco. For 2010, the
Compensation Committee also continued to believe it was
appropriate to include metrics relating to the performance of
American Snuff Company, LLC (formerly known as Conwood Company,
LLC), collectively with its affiliated companies referred to as
ASC, and Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company, Inc., referred
to as SFNTC, for the following reasons: in the case of ASC,
because of the significance moist snuff products have in
connection with RAIs strategy to become a total tobacco
company; and in the case of SFNTC, because of the significance
Natural American Spirit, a brand sold by SFNTC and referred to
as NAS, has in connection with RAIs strategy of promoting
premium tobacco brands.
Performance Against 2010 Underlying Performance
Metrics. The 2010 thresholds, targets and
maximums on the scoring grids (shown in the table above) for the
underlying performance metrics were set based on
managements 2010 business plan and the past performance of
RAI and its operating subsidiaries, and approved by the
Compensation Committee in February 2010. Each target was
established based upon the belief that the likelihood of actual
performance exceeding the target was the same as the likelihood
of actual performance not reaching the target. The foregoing
approach strikes a proper balance, as a particular target should
be set high enough so that executives are rewarded for achieving
a level of performance that requires considerable collective
effort, but not so unrealistically high that the compensation
program ceases to be an effective incentive device.
For 2010, the targets for RAIs operating income and net
income were $2,518 million and $1,429 million,
respectively, and the threshold and maximum for both metrics
were set at 20% below and 20% above their respective targets.
Although the preceding table does not include the 2010 actual
market share and shipment volume targets, thresholds and
maximums, given the competitively sensitive nature of that
information, the 2010 market share targets for RJR
Tobaccos growth brands, Camel and Pall Mall, and
ASCs moist snuff and the shipment volume target for NAS,
were set at or above the actual market share or shipment volume,
as the case may be, achieved by each such performance metric in
2009. The target for Pall Mall, in particular, represented a
significant increase over the 2009 market share. While RJR
Tobaccos cigarette brands, collectively, have experienced
declining market share for several years, RJR Tobaccos
current brand portfolio strategy has addressed such decline by
focusing on the long-term market share growth of its growth
brands while managing its support brands for long-term
sustainability and profitability. As a result of that strategy,
the 2010 market share target for Total RJR Tobacco also
represented an increase from the actual 2009 market share.
RAIs 2010 adjusted operating income, reflecting the
exclusions described above, of $2,549 million was above
target. Similarly, RAIs 2010 adjusted net income,
reflecting the exclusions described above, of
$1,456 million was above target. Camels 2010 market
share performance was significantly above target, primarily due
to share growth in Camel menthol. While Pall Malls 2010
market share performance was slightly below target due to an
aggressive target, the brands performance represented a
significant increase over its 2009 market share. Total RJR
Tobaccos 2010 market share performance also was slightly
above target. The 2010 market share performance for ASC moist
snuff was slightly above target, and the 2010 NAS shipment
volume performance was significantly above target. Based on
these results, the 2010 annual incentive score was 108%.
44
After a year-end review of the overall performance of RAI and
its operating companies, which in the past has resulted in the
Compensation Committee approving the discretionary reduction of
annual incentive payouts, the Committee approved a discretionary
addition to the 2010 annual incentive payout score of
10 percentage points for all plan participants in
recognition of the significant marketplace accomplishments of
RAI and the operating companies not already captured by the
performance metrics under the annual incentive program,
including increased market share for all four key growth brands
and Pall Malls market leading growth. The 2010 annual
incentive program final payout score was 118%.
2010 Annual Incentive Payouts. At its
February 2011 meeting, the Compensation Committee approved the
annual incentive award pools generated by the pre-established
performance formulas established for each named executive
officer based on RAIs 2010 cash net income of
$1.5 billion. These award pools were the absolute maximum
limitations on the dollar value of awards earned for the 2010
performance period. The Committee then exercised negative
discretion to reduce the amount of the annual incentive cash
award for each named executive officer and determined a final,
actual annual cash incentive payout after consideration of the
2010 performance of RAI and its operating companies, as measured
by the underlying performance metrics described above.
The table below shows each named executive officers annual
incentive target (expressed as a percentage of 2010 base salary
and in dollars) and the actual annual incentive payout
(expressed as a percentage of annual incentive target, 2010 base
salary and in dollars) for 2010:
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Annual Incentive
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Annual Incentive
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Annual Incentive
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Annual Incentive
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Annual Incentive
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Target as %
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Target
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Payout as %
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Payout as %
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Payout
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Executive
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of Base Salary
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($)
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of Target
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of Base Salary
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($)(1)
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Susan M. Ivey
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130
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%
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1,602,900
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118.0
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%
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153.4
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%
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1,891,422
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Thomas R. Adams
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75
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%
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413,775
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118.0
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%
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88.5
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%
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488,255
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Daniel M. Delen
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85
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%
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733,465
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118.0
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%
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100.3
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%
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865,489
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E. Julia (Judy) Lambeth
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75
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%
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439,575
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118.0
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%
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88.5
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%
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518,699
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Tommy J. Payne
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65
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%
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277,680
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118.0
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%
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76.7
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%
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327,662
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(1) |
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The dollar amount of the 2010 annual incentive paid to each
named executive officer is included in the Non-Equity
Incentive Plan Compensation column of the 2010 Summary
Compensation Table below. |
Perquisites
We have eliminated many of the perquisites that previously had
been offered to senior management. In 2010, we continued to
provide to Ms. Ivey and Messrs. Adams and Payne an
annual supplemental cash payment in lieu of participating in our
former perquisites program, as described in more detail in
footnote 10 to the 2010 Summary Compensation Table below. These
supplemental cash payments are not taken into account in
calculating incentives or benefits under any of our plans,
including our defined contribution and defined benefit plans.
With the exception of certain grandfathered executives,
including Ms. Ivey and Messrs. Adams and Payne, RAI
ceased providing such annual supplemental payments in 2004. (RAI
instead provided non-grandfathered executives such as
Ms. Lambeth and Mr. Delen with an annual financial
planning allowance of $6,000.) To remain competitive in the
market, in 2010, we also made available to our named executive
officers and other executives the following other benefits:
personal excess liability insurance of up to $10 million;
an annual physical examination; and reimbursement of up to
$30,000 for the cost of joining a country club. After a review
of all perquisites in 2009, the tax
gross-ups on
the value of the personal excess liability insurance and the
annual physical examination were eliminated.
45
Long-Term
Incentive Compensation
Long-Term
Incentive Opportunity
Overview of Long-Term Incentive
Opportunity. An effective executive
compensation program has an appropriate mix between short-term
and long-term incentive compensation. As a result, RAIs
practice has been to award long-term incentive grants with a
value dependent upon RAIs performance over a three-year
period, a measurement period commonly used by our peer group
companies. The grant date value of long-term incentive grants to
each of our named executive officers is targeted to be at the
mid-point between the 50th and 75th percentiles of the
peer group, with such values denominated as a multiple of the
executives annual base salary. Targeting to this level is
consistent with our competitors in the tobacco industry, allows
RAI to be competitive in marketplace for executive talent, and
recognizes the need to have incentive targets above the median
to attract and retain highly qualified executive talent in the
tobacco industry.
The Compensation Committee, at its first regularly scheduled
meeting of the year, approves long-term incentive grants to key
employees, and recommends to the Board for approval long-term
incentive grants for RAIs Chief Executive Officer, Chief
Financial Officer, General Counsel and RJR Tobaccos
President. The actual grant date of the long-term incentive
awards is generally effective in early March of each year, after
the public announcement of RAIs financial results, and
after the filing with the SEC of RAIs Annual Report on
Form 10-K,
for the prior year.
Long-Term Incentive for Named Executive
Officers. The 2010 long-term incentive
opportunity for the same group of executive officers described
under the annual incentive program, including the named
executive officers, was provided in the form of three-year
performance shares granted under the shareholder-approved
Omnibus Plan, which allows us to take advantage of certain tax
deductions for performance-based compensation under
Section 162(m) of the Code. See Other Compensation
Policies Deductibility of Compensation below
for additional information about our philosophy on structuring
our executive compensation for tax purposes.
For 2010, as we described above for our annual incentive awards,
the long-term incentive program for our named executive officers
involved a maximum performance metric based on our cash net
income results for a three-year performance period and designed
to meet the requirements for qualified performance-based
compensation under the Code. Achievement of the maximum
performance metric will establish a maximum limitation on the
dollar amount of the long-term incentive that can be paid to
each named executive officer for the
2010-2012
performance period (specifically by establishing a maximum award
pool for the performance shares that can be earned by each named
executive officer). The Compensation Committee, using negative
discretion, may then reduce that amount to a lesser actual
amount of performance shares for each named executive officer
after considering the performance of RAI and its operating
companies measured by performance metrics and targets designed
to reflect in more detail the degree to which we achieved our
specific business goals for the three-year period, all as
further discussed below. The reductions in payout values, if
any, will not result in any increase in payout values for any
other employee.
2010 Long-Term Incentives. In
February 2010, the Board and Compensation Committee approved a
performance formula based on RAIs cash net income for
determining the maximum award pool for the performance shares
granted to each named executive officer under the Omnibus Plan
for 2010. Under the formula, the award pool of performance
shares for each of the named executive officers was determined
based on the following percentages of RAIs cumulative cash
net income for the
2010-2012
performance period: Ms. Ivey = 0.80%; Mr. Adams =
0.20%; Mr. Delen = 0.30%; Ms. Lambeth = 0.20%; and
Mr. Payne = 0.20%. These pools will serve as the maximum
limitation on the dollar amount of awards that can be paid to
these named executive officers for the
2010-2012
performance period. The term cash net income is
defined the same as for the annual incentive plan, except it is
based on the amounts as reported in RAIs Annual Reports on
Form 10-K
for the 2010, 2011 and 2012 fiscal years. The maximum amount of
performance shares that any named executive officer can receive
at the end of the
2010-2012
performance period also is limited by award limitations
contained in the Omnibus Plan.
46
In February 2010, the Board and Compensation Committee also
approved the 2010 target long-term incentive opportunity,
denominated as a multiple of the executives current annual
base salary, for each of the named executive officers. In
contrast to the cash net income award pools established to set
the maximum performance shares payout amount for each named
executive officer, the target long-term incentive opportunity
represents the value of long-term equity awards that the Board
or Compensation Committee expected, as of the beginning of the
performance period, to pay out for target company performance
during the three-year performance period. The 2010 target
long-term incentive multiples for each of the named executive
officers remained unchanged from 2009.
The table below provides for each named executive officer the
2010 target long-term incentive opportunity, expressed as a
multiple of annual base salary as of March 1, 2010, a
dollar amount and a target number of performance shares.
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2010
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Long-Term
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2010
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Incentive Target
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Long-Term
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2010
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Number of
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Incentive Target
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Long-Term
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Performance
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as Multiple
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Incentive Target
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Shares(1)
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Executive
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of Base Salary
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($)
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(#)
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Susan M. Ivey
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6X
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7,398,000
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281,240
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Thomas R. Adams
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2.5X
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1,329,500
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50,542
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Daniel M. Delen
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3X
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2,372,700
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90,200
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E. Julia (Judy) Lambeth
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2.5X
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1,422,500
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54,078
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Tommy J. Payne
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2X
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830,600
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31,576
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(1) |
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The target number of performance shares granted to each named
executive officer represented his or her target long-term
incentive opportunity divided by the average closing price of
RAI common stock for the 20 trading days prior to the grant
date, which for the 2010 grant was $52.61. The target numbers of
performance shares reflected in this column have been adjusted
for the Stock Split. |
2010 Long-Term Incentive Grants. In
February 2010, the Board and Compensation Committee approved
long-term incentive grants under the Omnibus Plan, effective
March 1, 2010, to the named executive officers for the
January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2012 performance
period. The 2010 long-term incentive grants were entirely in the
form of performance shares, with the number of performance
shares actually earned to be determined at the end of the
three-year performance period.
The number of performance shares each named executive officer
actually will receive, if any, will be determined at the end of
the three-year performance period based first on the maximum
payout limitation provided by the performance shares award pool
generated under the pre-established cash net income formula.
Then, the Compensation Committee may use negative discretion to
reduce the number of performance shares actually earned to an
amount consistent with the average of RAIs scores under
the annual incentive award program for each of the three years
of the performance period, but no higher than 150% of target. In
addition, if RAI fails to pay cumulative dividends for the
three-year performance period of at least $10.80 per share (an
amount equal to the dividend paid for the first quarter of the
performance period times the number of quarters in the
performance period) ($5.40 after the Stock Split), then the
number of performance shares earned will be reduced by an amount
equal to three times the percentage of the dividend underpayment
for the three-year performance period, up to a maximum
performance share reduction of 50%. Subject to the foregoing,
the performance shares generally will vest on March 1,
2013, and will be paid in the form of shares of RAI common
stock. At the time the performance shares vest, each grantee,
including the named executive officers, also will receive a cash
dividend equivalent payment equal to the aggregate amount of
dividends per share declared and paid to RAIs shareholders
on RAI common stock during the period from the beginning of the
performance period through the payment of the performance
shares, multiplied by the number of performance shares actually
earned by the grantee after the performance adjustments. For
more information about the 2010 long-term incentive grants, see
the narrative under the heading 2010 Long-Term
Incentives following the 2010 Grants of Plan-Based
Awards Table below.
47
Awarding long-term incentive compensation entirely in
performance shares that are subject to the above conditions
aligns the interests of senior management with long-term
shareholder interests by:
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requiring both performance and continued retention before
payments are made;
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requiring dividend maintenance over the entire three-year
performance period in order to keep a focus on shareholder
return;
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|
ensuring that the value of the long-term incentive grant
throughout the performance period and upon its payout in shares
of RAI common stock is directly tied to the actual stock
price; and
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|
increasing RAI common stock ownership by management.
|
Given the ever-changing regulatory environment faced by
RAIs operating companies, it has become increasingly
difficult to make a projection of RAIs earnings per share,
referred to as EPS, three years into the future. The use of
RAIs annual incentive scores as the performance measure
for participants in the long-term incentive program, including
the executives of RAIs operating subsidiaries, also
ensures a unified focus on RAIs overall performance.
Payouts of
Pre-2010 Long-Term Incentive Plan Grants
During 2010, each of the named executive officers earned LTIP
payouts for awards that had been made before 2010. One such
grant consisted of restricted shares of RAI common stock granted
under the LTIP on March 6, 2007, the vesting of which had
been conditioned upon RAIs payment of a minimum quarterly
dividend of $0.75 per share (the amount of the last quarterly
dividend declared by the Board prior to the grant date) during
the period from the grant date through December 31, 2009.
This dividend condition was satisfied, and the restricted stock
vested on March 6, 2010. For more information regarding the
restricted stock, see the 2010 Option Exercises and Stock Vested
Table below.
In addition, each of the named executive officers earned
three-year performance units originally granted on March 6,
2008, referred to as the 2008 LTIP performance units, the
vesting of which was conditioned upon RAIs payment of a
minimum quarterly dividend of $0.85 per share (the amount of the
last quarterly dividend declared by the Board prior to the grant
date) ($0.425 after the Stock Split) during the period from the
grant date through December 31, 2010. This dividend
condition was satisfied, and the performance units vested on
December 31, 2010. The number of vested units earned was
determined based on RAIs 2010 EPS performance compared to
the pre-established 2010 EPS targeted goal of $5.39 ($2.695
after the Stock Split), with a threshold and maximum of $4.58
($2.29 after the Stock Split), 15% below the target, and $6.20
($3.10 after the Stock Split), 15% above the target,
respectively. The Compensation Committee approved, in accordance
with a pre-approved process that adjusts for unanticipated,
unusual or non-recurring events and is consistent with the
manner in which the EPS target was established, the impact of
$113 million, after-tax, in incremental pension and post
retirement expenses and the $19 million, after-tax, impact
of the federal excise tax increase on certain products.
RAIs EPS (based on RAIs 2010 adjusted net income),
after the adjustments described above, was $5.43 ($2.715 after
the Stock Split) and resulted in a 2010 EPS score of 105%. The
number of vested performance units also was subject to
adjustment by +/-10% based on RAIs total shareholder
return, referred to as TSR, over the three-year period ended
December 31, 2010, compared to the TSR of the companies
within the Standard and Poors Food and Beverage Index as
of the grant date, plus Altria Group, Inc., Carolina Group (now
known as Lorillard, Inc.) and UST, Inc. (subsequently eliminated
due to its acquisition by Altria Group), referred to as the TSR
comparator group. For the three-year period, RAIs TSR was
in the top third of the TSR comparator group and, as a result,
the number of vested performance units was increased by 10%,
resulting in a final payout score of 116% of target. The vested
2008 LTIP performance units were settled in cash in the first
quarter of 2011. For more information on the payments in
settlement of the 2008 LTIP performance units, see footnote 8 to
the 2010 Summary Compensation Table below.
48
Severance
Benefits
RAI maintains severance arrangements with its executives,
including the named executive officers. RAI obtains several
benefits important to the business by providing these severance
arrangements, including post-employment restrictive covenants,
such as non-competition and non-disclosure of confidential
information, assistance with any future litigation, maintenance
of a competitive executive compensation program and stability
during uncertain times, particularly in the event of a
threatened or pending change in control.
Severance
Agreements
Prior to the inception of the Executive Severance Plan
(described below under Executive Severance
Plan), RAI entered into a standard form of severance
agreement, referred to as the severance agreement, with each of
Ms. Ivey and Messrs. Adams and Payne. As indicated
above, Ms. Ivey retired from RAI on February 28, 2011,
and did not receive any severance benefits under her severance
agreement.
Under the terms of the severance agreement, if the
executives employment is involuntarily terminated other
than for cause or if the executive terminates his
employment for good reason, then he will receive two
years base salary plus target bonus, and benefit continuation
for three years. These amounts were determined to be competitive
at the time the severance agreement was approved. The base
salary and target bonus amounts under the severance agreement
are payable in a lump sum. No executive is entitled to receive
severance benefits if the executive retires or otherwise
voluntarily terminates his or her employment unless such
termination satisfies the agreements definition of
good reason.
Pursuant to the severance agreement, each of Messrs. Adams
and Payne also is entitled to certain benefits upon a change of
control of RAI. See the Potential Payments Upon Termination of
Employment
and/or a
Change of Control Table below, and related footnotes, for
further information about these change in control benefits, and
for definitions of cause, good reason
and change of control.
Executive
Severance Plan
In 2006, the Compensation Committee undertook a comprehensive
review of RAIs severance and change of control benefits
offered to executives. Based on such review, RAI determined to
revise these benefits for persons who at any time after
July 1, 2006, are newly hired or promoted into executive
level positions, and adopted the Executive Severance Plan,
referred to as the ESP. Such executives participate in the ESP,
instead of being offered benefits under a severance agreement.
As a result, Mr. Delen, who joined RJR Tobacco in January
of 2007, participates, and Ms. Lambeth, who joined RAI in
September of 2006, participated, in the ESP and are not parties
to a severance agreement.
The severance and change of control benefits under the ESP are
similar to, but not the same as, the benefits payable under the
severance agreement. Although both serve the same objectives,
the ESP was designed to be more consistent with prevailing
executive compensation practices. RAI also has greater
flexibility to amend, if appropriate, the terms of the ESP than
the terms of the severance agreement. Under the terms of a
severance agreement, RAI generally is not able to amend such
agreement without the consent of the individual executive who is
a party to the agreement. In contrast, RAI is free to amend the
ESP without the consent of the participants in the plan, except
that any modification to the ESP adopted by RAI during either
the two-year period after a change in control or the one-year
period prior to a change in control, and any modification
reducing the benefits of an executive already receiving benefits
under the ESP, will not be enforceable against a participant,
unless he or she agrees to the modification in writing.
The benefits payable under the ESP generally are less generous
than the benefits which an executive otherwise would have been
entitled to under a severance agreement. Under the ESP, upon a
qualifying termination, a participant who is a
Tier II Executive for purposes of the Plan
(including Ms. Lambeth and Mr. Delen) is entitled to
receive an amount equal to one and one-half times his or her
base salary and target bonus, payable in a lump sum, plus
6 months of company-subsidized COBRA continuation coverage
for health plans. Upon certain qualifying terminations in
connection with a change in control, a participant at
49
Ms. Lambeths or Mr. Delens job level would
be entitled to receive an amount equal to two times base salary
and target bonus, payable in a lump sum, and 6 months of
company-subsidized COBRA continuation coverage for health plans.
The Compensation Committee periodically reviews the ESP to
maintain its competitiveness and adapt it to the needs of the
Company. In 2009, amendments to the ESP:
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|
|
eliminated excise tax
gross-ups
for all new participants and current participants not currently
eligible for such benefit as February 1, 2009; and
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|
revised the definition of cause to include material
violations of RAIs Code of Conduct or company policy and
material breaches of any non-competition, non-disclosure of
confidential information or commitment to provide assistance
agreement or obligation.
|
For further information about the benefits under the ESP, see
the Potential Payments Upon Termination of Employment
and/or a
Change of Control Table below, and related footnotes.
The payment of benefits to any named executive officer pursuant
to his or her severance agreement or the ESP is conditioned upon
the executive complying with certain non-compete and
confidentiality obligations owing to RAI and its subsidiaries,
and cooperating with RAI and its subsidiaries in the prosecution
or defense of any litigation.
As indicated above, Ms. Lambeths employment with RAI
terminated on December 31, 2010, and she was eligible for
general severance benefits under the ESP. For additional
information on Ms. Lambeths severance benefits, see
the Potential Payments Upon Termination of Employment
and/or a
Change of Control Table below, and related footnotes.
Retirement
Benefits
Generally, the retirement benefits provided by RAI and its
subsidiaries, summarized below, are targeted to replace
approximately one-third of an employees final annual cash
compensation, provided that the employee retires at age 55
or older with at least 30 years of service. We expect each
employee, upon retirement, to be responsible for replacing the
remainder of his or her final cash compensation through a
combination of personal savings and social security benefits.
RAI sponsors a defined contribution plan which is qualified
under Sections 401(a) and 401(k) of the Code, and which is
available generally to eligible employees of RAI and certain of
its operating subsidiaries, including the named executive
officers. RAI also sponsors non-qualified excess benefit plans
which provide benefits to those employees, including the named
executive officers, whose benefits under the 401(k) plan are
limited by virtue of certain provisions of the Code. Under the
foregoing plans, RAI provides a matching contribution in an
amount equal to either 50% or 100% (depending upon, among other
things, whether an individual is eligible to participate in one
of RAIs defined benefit plans) of the first 6% of a
participants pre-tax contribution. In addition to the
matching contribution, RAI contributes on behalf of each
eligible participant in the 401(k) plan an amount ranging from
3% to 9% of such participants annual cash compensation.
The eligibility to receive such supplemental contribution and
the amount of such contribution depend upon, among other
factors, whether an employee participates in certain of our
defined benefit plans and the employees years of service.
All of the named executive officers, other than Ms. Ivey,
are eligible to receive RAIs supplemental contribution
under the 401(k) plan. See footnote 10 to the 2010 Summary
Compensation Table below for additional information regarding
RAIs contributions to the accounts of the named executive
officers under the foregoing plans. In addition to such plans,
the named executive officers, other than Ms. Lambeth and
Mr. Delen, participate in certain noncontributory defined
benefit retirement plans maintained by RAI. Subject to certain
limited exceptions, employees hired on or after January 1,
2004, are not eligible to participate in these defined benefit
plans. Ms. Ivey participates in a B&W retirement plan,
the obligations of which, with respect to Ms. Ivey and
certain other former B&W employees, were assumed by RAI in
connection with the Business Combination. See
Retirement Benefits below for more
information about the defined benefit plans in which the named
executive officers participate.
50
Other
Compensation Policies
Special
Incentives
In special circumstances, the Compensation Committee may approve
a recommendation from the Chief Executive Officer to pay a
discretionary cash award to an executive officer, in addition to
the annual incentive compensation described above under
Annual Compensation, to reward
substantial achievement or significant contributions,
particularly when such contributions are not reflected in the
annual performance metrics. In 2010, the Compensation Committee
approved a special discretionary cash award of $50,000 to
Mr. Payne in connection with his receipt of the
Chairmans Award for significant contributions to
RAIs success. Such cash award was paid to Mr. Payne
in February 2010.
Stock Ownership
Guidelines
The Board believes that executives, such as the named executive
officers, whose business decisions have a profound and direct
impact on the operations and results of RAI, should have a
reasonable equity stake in RAI. Further, the greater the
responsibilities an executive has, the greater his or her equity
stake should be. As a result, the Board established stock
ownership guidelines for the named executive officers and other
senior management. (We also maintain stock ownership guidelines
for our directors, which are described above under The
Board of Directors Equity Ownership
Guidelines.) Pursuant to the current stock ownership
guidelines for the named executive officers, which became
effective as of January 1, 2006, each executive is expected
to own, within seven years after the later of January 1,
2006, and his or her appointment as an executive officer, an
amount of RAI common stock valued at a multiple of his or her
annual base salary, which during 2010 were as
follows three times annual base salary for
Ms. Ivey, two and one-half times annual base salary for
Ms. Lambeth and Messrs. Adams and Delen, and two times
annual base salary for Mr. Payne. Unvested shares of
restricted stock or performance shares are not counted toward
satisfaction of the stock ownership guidelines. The Compensation
Committee is responsible for approving any amendments to the
executive stock ownership guidelines and annually reviews each
executives progress towards satisfying the stock ownership
guidelines. For 2010, management reviewed the status of all
executive officers in meeting the stock ownership guidelines and
certified to the Compensation Committee that all executive
officers already had met, or were making reasonable progress
towards meeting, the stock ownership guidelines in a timely
manner. If any executive were to fail to satisfy the applicable
stock ownership guidelines, then the Compensation Committee
would consider such failure as one factor in determining the
extent to which such executive should receive any stock-based
awards in the future.
Prohibition on
Hedging
All executive officers, including the named executive officers,
are subject to a securities trading policy under which hedging
transactions are prohibited. RAIs Code of Conduct provides
that directors and employees may not engage in put or call
options, short selling or similar activities involving RAI
stock. These prohibitions protect against speculative trading by
our executives.
Recoupment
Commencing in 2009, we have included recoupment, or
clawback, provisions in our annual and long-term
incentive programs and related agreements with our employees.
These provisions provide that, in the event all or any portion
of an award under any of the incentive compensation programs has
been computed using financial information or performance metrics
later found to be materially inaccurate, the Compensation
Committee, in its sole discretion, can recoup the excess of the
amount paid out over the amount that would have been paid had
such financial information or performance metric been fairly
stated at the time the payout was made. Additionally, consistent
with statutory requirements, including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002, and principles of responsible oversight, and depending on
the specific facts of each situation, the Compensation Committee
would review all performance-based compensation where a
restatement of our financial results for a prior performance
period could affect the factors determining payment of an
incentive award. Our long-term
51
incentive agreements also provide that, if we determine that a
grantee has violated any of the confidentiality, non-compete or
assistance obligations in the agreement, then effective on the
date the violation began, any unvested performance shares are
forfeited and cancelled, and the Compensation Committee, in its
sole discretion, can recoup any performance shares previously
paid under the agreement.
Deductibility of
Compensation
Section 162(m) of the Code generally disallows a federal
income tax deduction to publicly traded companies for
compensation paid to certain executives to the extent such
compensation exceeds $1 million per executive in any fiscal
year. Compensation that satisfies the Codes requirements
for performance-based compensation is not subject to that
deduction limitation. As discussed above, the annual and
long-term incentive compensation for our named executive
officers has been designed to meet the requirements for
qualified performance-based compensation.
Although the Compensation Committee plans to continue taking
actions intended to limit the impact of Section 162(m) of
the Code, the Committee also believes that the tax deduction is
only one of several relevant considerations in setting
compensation. The Committee believes that the tax deduction
limitation should not be permitted to compromise RAIs
ability to design and maintain executive compensation
arrangements that will attract and retain the executive talent
to compete successfully. Accordingly, achieving the desired
flexibility in the design and delivery of compensation may
result in compensation that in certain cases is not deductible
for federal income tax purposes.
Compensation
Committee Report
The Compensation Committee has reviewed and discussed the above
Compensation Discussion and Analysis with RAIs management.
Based on that review and discussion, the Compensation Committee
recommended to the Board that the Compensation Discussion and
Analysis be included in this proxy statement and in RAIs
2010 Annual Report on
Form 10-K.
Respectfully submitted,
Holly K. Koeppel
Nana Mensah (Chair)
Thomas C. Wajnert (Former Chair)
John J. Zillmer
52
Compensation-Related
Risk Assessment
At the direction of the Compensation Committee, and with the
assistance of the Committees independent compensation
consultant, management annually conducts a comprehensive review
and evaluation of the risks arising from the compensation
policies and practices applicable to all of our employees,
including our named executive officers. This risk assessment is
conducted under our overall enterprise risk management process
and includes a detailed qualitative and quantitative analysis of
the risks related to the compensation architecture for all
employees.
Under the enterprise risk management process, each element of
our compensation architecture is analyzed for risks related to
such element of compensation, including any links between
behaviors
and/or
decisions driving compensation amounts and changes in RAIs
risk profile. Further, each element is reviewed to identify
specific controls
and/or
attributes mitigating or aggravating such risks.
Risk mitigating controls and attributes identified during the
risk assessment completed in November 2010 included both entity
level risk controls (such as our corporate governance structure,
approval authority guidelines and risk authority guidelines) and
compensation risk controls and attributes (such as the oversight
of the executive compensation programs by the Compensation
Committee, the mixture of annual and long-term incentives, the
use of performance-based annual and long-term incentives, the
use of multiple performance measures in both the annual and
long-term incentive programs, the mix of financial and
marketplace metrics in the annual incentive program, maximum
payout caps on annual and long-term incentive awards, stock
ownership guidelines, Compensation Committee discretion
(including negative discretion) regarding targets and payouts,
and recoupment and anti-hedging policies). Finally, the
likelihood and potential impact of the compensation risks were
assessed during the November 2010 risk assessment.
The findings of the November 2010 comprehensive compensation
risk assessment, including a summary of the extensive risk
mitigating controls and attributes identified in our
compensation policies and practices, were reviewed by management
with the Compensation Committee and its independent compensation
consultant in November 2010. Based on the results of this
compensation risk assessment, the Compensation Committee
concluded that our compensation policies and practices do not
create risks that are reasonably likely to have a material
adverse effect on our company.
53
Summary
Compensation Table
The following table shows the annual and long-term compensation
paid or accrued by RAI and its subsidiaries to RAIs Chief
Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and its other three
most highly compensated executive officers for the fiscal years
ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008.
2010 Summary
Compensation Table
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Change in
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Pension
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Value and
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Nonqualified
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Non-Equity
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Deferred
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Stock
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Incentive Plan
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Compensation
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All Other
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Salary
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Bonus
|
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Awards
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Compensation
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Earnings
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Compensation
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Total
|
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Name and Principal Position
|
|
Year
|
|
|
($)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
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($)(7)
|
|
|
($)(8)
|
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($)(9)
|
|
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($)(10)
|
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($)
|
|
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Susan M. Ivey
|
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2010
|
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1,307,000
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
7,486,609
|
|
|
|
7,780,696
|
|
|
|
6,989,915
|
|
|
|
249,595
|
|
|
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23,813,815
|
|
|
|
|
|
Former President and Chief
|
|
|
2009
|
|
|
|
1,270,000
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
6,241,998
|
|
|
|
8,504,440
|
|
|
|
227,923
|
|
|
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198,217
|
|
|
|
16,442,578
|
|
|
|
|
|
Executive Officer of RAI(1)
|
|
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2008
|
|
|
|
1,252,750
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
2,175,867
|
|
|
|
5,186,075
|
|
|
|
956,808
|
|
|
|
211,416
|
|
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|
9,782,916
|
|
|
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|
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|
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|
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|
|
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Thomas R. Adams
|
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2010
|
|
|
|
546,725
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
1,345,428
|
|
|
|
1,503,255
|
|
|
|
1,344,383
|
|
|
|
159,909
|
|
|
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4,899,700
|
|
|
|
|
|
Executive Vice President and
|
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2009
|
|
|
|
533,882
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
1,089,089
|
|
|
|
983,573
|
|
|
|
929,464
|
|
|
|
126,453
|
|
|
|
3,662,461
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chief Financial Officer of RAI
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
|
512,225
|
|
|
|
100,000
|
(5)
|
|
|
374,992
|
|
|
|
688,089
|
|
|
|
657,764
|
|
|
|
119,818
|
|
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2,452,888
|
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Daniel M. Delen
|
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2010
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|
870,700
|
|
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0
|
|
|
|
2,401,124
|
|
|
|
2,716,849
|
|
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0
|
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162,999
|
|
|
|
6,151,672
|
|
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President and Chief Executive
|
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2009
|
|
|
|
814,600
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
2,001,954
|
|
|
|
2,952,720
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
141,855
|
|
|
|
5,911,129
|
|
|
|
|
|
Officer of RAI(2)
|
|
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2008
|
|
|
|
783,175
|
|
|
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0
|
|
|
|
684,008
|
|
|
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674,000
|
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0
|
|
|
|
139,786
|
|
|
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2,280,969
|
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E. Julia (Judy) Lambeth
|
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2010
|
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|
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581,825
|
|
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0
|
|
|
|
1,439,556
|
|
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1,604,749
|
|
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0
|
|
|
|
117,373
|
|
|
|
3,743,503
|
|
|
|
|
|
Former Executive Vice
|
|
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2009
|
|
|
|
564,850
|
|
|
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0
|
|
|
|
1,165,219
|
|
|
|
1,813,809
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
71,765
|
|
|
|
3,615,643
|
|
|
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|
President Corporate
|
|
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2008
|
|
|
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548,050
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
401,233
|
|
|
|
1,177,800
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
73,348
|
|
|
|
2,200,431
|
|
|
|
|
|
Affairs, General Counsel
and Assistant Secretary(3)
|
|
|
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|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tommy J. Payne
|
|
|
2010
|
|
|
|
424,825
|
|
|
|
50,000
|
(6)
|
|
|
840,553
|
|
|
|
956,962
|
|
|
|
250,349
|
|
|
|
149,207
|
|
|
|
2,671,896
|
|
|
|
|
|
President Niconovum USA(4)
|
|
|
2009
|
|
|
|
412,275
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
680,404
|
|
|
|
1,147,171
|
|
|
|
78,749
|
|
|
|
134,347
|
|
|
|
2,452,946
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
|
399,275
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
232,521
|
|
|
|
832,197
|
|
|
|
66,932
|
|
|
|
123,555
|
|
|
|
1,654,480
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Ms. Ivey retired as President and Chief Executive Officer
of RAI as of the close of business on February 28, 2011. |
|
(2) |
|
Mr. Delen became President and Chief Executive Officer of
RAI on March 1, 2011, and was the President and Chief
Executive Officer-Elect of RAI from January 1, 2011 to
February 28, 2011. He served as Chairman of the Board,
President and Chief Executive Officer of RJR Tobacco from 2008
through 2010. |
|
(3) |
|
Ms. Lambeths employment with RAI terminated as of the
close of business on December 31, 2010. For information
regarding the shares of restricted stock and performance shares
Ms. Lambeth forfeited as a result of such termination, see
footnotes 2, 3 and 4 to the Outstanding Equity Awards at 2010
Fiscal Year-End Table below. For information regarding the
payment and benefits to which Ms. Lambeth is entitled in
connection with her termination of employment, see
Termination and Change of Control
Payments below. |
|
(4) |
|
Mr. Payne became the President of Niconovum USA on
January 1, 2010. He served as Executive Vice
President Public Affairs of RAI from 2008 through
2009. |
|
(5) |
|
This amount represents a retention bonus paid to Mr. Adams
in May 2008 in consideration for his remaining employed by RAI
through May 1, 2008. |
|
(6) |
|
This amount represents a special cash award paid to
Mr. Payne in February 2010 in connection with his receipt
of a Chairmans Award for significant contributions to
RAIs success. |
|
(7) |
|
The amounts shown in this column for 2010 represent the grant
date fair value (calculated in accordance with
ASC 718) for the stock-based long-term incentive award
that was granted to each named executive officer in 2010 based
on the probable outcome of the performance conditions at the
time of the grant. |
54
|
|
|
|
|
The assumptions upon which these amounts are based are set forth
in note 16 to consolidated financial statements contained
in our 2010 Annual Report on
Form 10-K.
For additional information on the performance shares granted
under the Omnibus Plan in 2010, see the footnotes and narrative
following the 2010 Grants of Plan-Based Awards Table below.
Assuming that the highest level of performance conditions are
achieved, the grant date fair value of the performance shares
granted under the Omnibus Plan in 2010 to each named executive
officer would be: Ms. Ivey = $11,229,913; Mr. Adams =
$2,018,142; Mr. Delen = $3,601,686; Ms. Lambeth =
$2,159,335; and Mr. Payne = $1,260,830. |
|
|
|
The amounts shown in this column do not equal the actual value
that any named executive officer received in 2010 with respect
to the vesting of his or her long-term incentive award. The
actual value any named executive officer receives at the end of
the performance period for his or her award is determined based
on the specific terms of the grant documentation for the award,
and such value may differ significantly from the amounts shown
in this column. For the value that each of the named executive
officers actually received in 2010 in connection with the
vesting of certain shares of restricted stock, see the 2010
Option Exercises and Stock Vested Table below. |
|
(8) |
|
The amounts in this column for 2010 were paid to the named
executive officers in the first quarter of 2011 and represent
(a) annual incentive payments with respect to 2010
performance and (b) the cash settlement of the 2008 LTIP
performance units, which vested on December 31, 2010. The
amount of each of the foregoing payments made to each named
executive officer is shown below: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2010
|
|
LTIP
|
|
|
Annual
|
|
Performance
|
|
|
Incentives
|
|
Units
|
Name
|
|
($)
|
|
($)
|
|
Ms. Ivey
|
|
|
1,891,422
|
|
|
|
5,889,274
|
|
Mr. Adams
|
|
|
488,255
|
|
|
|
1,015,000
|
|
Mr. Delen
|
|
|
865,489
|
|
|
|
1,851,360
|
|
Ms. Lambeth
|
|
|
518,699
|
|
|
|
1,086,050
|
|
Mr. Payne
|
|
|
327,662
|
|
|
|
629,300
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For information regarding the foregoing annual incentives, see
Compensation Discussion and Analysis Analysis
of 2010 Compensation Decisions Annual
Compensation Annual Incentive
Compensation 2010 Annual Incentives above, and
for further information regarding the annual incentive
opportunity for each named executive officer, subject to the
maximum award payout limitations established by the Compensation
Committee, see the narrative following the 2010 Grants of
Plan-Based Awards Table below. |
|
|
|
The cash value of the 2008 LTIP performance units was equal to
the product of $1.00 and the number of vested units. The number
of vested units was equal to the number of performance units
originally granted to each named executive officer multiplied by
an EPS performance score based on RAIs 2010 EPS
performance compared to the pre-established targeted EPS goal.
RAIs 2010 EPS performance score was 105%. The number of
vested units was also subject to adjustment by +/- 10% based on
RAIs TSR over the three-year period compared to the TSR of
the TSR comparator group. RAIs TSR performance over the
three-year performance period was in the top third of the TSR
comparator group and, as a result, the number of performance
units was increased by 10%, resulting in a final payout score of
116% of target. For more information on the 2008 LTIP
performance units, see Compensation Discussion and
Analysis Analysis of 2010 Compensation
Decisions Long-Term Incentive
Compensation Payouts of Pre-2010 Long-Term Incentive
Plan Grants above. |
|
|
|
(9) |
|
The amounts in this column for each named executive officer for
2010 represent the total change in the actuarial present value
of the executives accumulated benefit under all defined
benefit plans, including supplemental plans, for 2010. For
additional information regarding the defined benefit plans in
which the named executive officers participate, see the 2010
Pension Benefits Table below. |
55
|
|
|
(10) |
|
The amounts shown in this column for 2010 include, among other
items: |
|
|
|
|
(a)
|
contributions made by RAI to the named executive officers under
RAIs qualified defined contribution plans, and amounts
credited by RAI to the accounts of the named executive officers
in RAIs non-qualified excess benefit plans (with such
excess benefit plans described in greater detail in the
footnotes to the 2010 Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation Table
below), as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Qualified Plan
|
|
|
Non-Qualified Plan
|
|
|
|
Contribution
|
|
|
Credit
|
|
Name
|
|
($)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
|
Ms. Ivey
|
|
|
7,350
|
|
|
|
98,220
|
|
Mr. Adams
|
|
|
24,500
|
|
|
|
85,173
|
|
Mr. Delen
|
|
|
22,049
|
|
|
|
132,453
|
|
Ms. Lambeth
|
|
|
22,050
|
|
|
|
83,324
|
|
Mr. Payne
|
|
|
24,500
|
|
|
|
55,283
|
|
|
|
|
|
(b)
|
the perquisites described below:
|
|
|
|
|
|
a payment of $79,000 to Ms. Ivey, a payment of $46,300 to
Mr. Adams, and a payment of $54,300 to Mr. Payne, in
each case in lieu of such persons participation in
RAIs former executive perquisites program,
|
|
|
|
a payment of $6,000 to each of Ms. Lambeth and
Mr. Delen representing a financial planning allowance,
|
|
|
|
the cost of a physical examination in the case of
Ms. Lambeth and Mr. Payne,
|
|
|
|
the cost of premiums paid by RAI for certain excess liability
insurance covering each of the named executive officers, except
Mr. Adams who declined such insurance, and
|
|
|
|
the value (based upon the aggregate incremental cost to RJR
Tobacco) ascribed to personal flights taken by Ms. Ivey and
Mr. Delen, or their respective guests, on aircraft owned or
leased by RJR Tobacco (the aggregate incremental cost for
purposes of the foregoing calculation includes the variable
costs of operating the aircraft, such as fuel costs, airport
handling fees and catering costs, plus the amount associated
with RAIs lost tax deduction due to the personal usage of
the aircraft, but excludes fixed costs, such as labor costs of
the aircraft crew and hangar lease payments).
|
|
|
|
|
(c)
|
in the case of Ms. Ivey and Mr. Payne, the change in
the value of the accrued post-retirement health benefit from
December 31, 2009 to December 31, 2010, as
follows Ms. Ivey: $60,531; and Mr. Payne:
$10,840.
|
56
Equity and
Non-Equity Incentive Awards
The following table sets forth certain information concerning
each grant of an award made to a named executive officer during
2010 under any plan.
2010 Grants of
Plan-Based Awards Table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grant Date
|
|
|
|
|
Board or
|
|
Estimated Possible Payouts Under
|
|
Estimated Future Payouts Under
|
|
Fair Value of
|
|
|
|
|
Committee
|
|
Non-Equity Incentive Plan Awards(1)
|
|
Equity Incentive Plan Awards(2)
|
|
Stock and
|
|
|
Grant
|
|
Approval
|
|
Threshold
|
|
Target
|
|
Maximum
|
|
Threshold
|
|
Target
|
|
Maximum
|
|
Option Awards
|
Name
|
|
Date
|
|
Date
|
|
($)
|
|
($)
|
|
($)
|
|
(#)
|
|
(#)
|
|
(#)
|
|
(3)($)
|
|
Susan M. Ivey
|
|
|
3/1/2010
|
|
|
|
2/2/2010
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
281,240
|
|
|
|
421,860
|
|
|
|
7,486,609
|
|
|
|
|
2/2/2010
|
|
|
|
2/2/2010
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,602,900
|
|
|
|
3,205,800
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas R. Adams
|
|
|
3/1/2010
|
|
|
|
2/2/2010
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
50,542
|
|
|
|
75,813
|
|
|
|
1,345,428
|
|
|
|
|
2/2/2010
|
|
|
|
2/2/2010
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
413,775
|
|
|
|
827,550
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Daniel M. Delen
|
|
|
3/1/2010
|
|
|
|
2/2/2010
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
90,200
|
|
|
|
135,300
|
|
|
|
2,401,124
|
|
|
|
|
2/2/2010
|
|
|
|
2/2/2010
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
733,465
|
|
|
|
1,466,930
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
E. Julia (Judy) Lambeth
|
|
|
3/1/2010
|
|
|
|
2/2/2010
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
54,078
|
|
|
|
81,117
|
|
|
|
1,439,556
|
|
|
|
|
2/2/2010
|
|
|
|
2/2/2010
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
439,575
|
|
|
|
879,150
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tommy J. Payne
|
|
|
3/1/2010
|
|
|
|
2/1/2010
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
31,576
|
|
|
|
47,364
|
|
|
|
840,553
|
|
|
|
|
2/1/2010
|
|
|
|
2/1/2010
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
277,680
|
|
|
|
555,360
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Amounts reflected in these columns represent the annual
incentive award opportunity for each named executive officer
under the Omnibus Plan for the 2010 performance period. The
amounts shown in the Target column represent the
amount that the Compensation Committee expected to pay to each
named executive officer in early 2011 for target performance.
The Threshold column shows dashes because the
Compensation Committee was permitted to reduce the ultimate
value of the 2010 annual incentive award to essentially zero, so
there is no threshold level for the awards. For above-target
performance for 2010, the Compensation Committee decided to
limit, subject to the maximum cash net income award pools, the
maximum payout for the 2010 annual incentive awards to two times
the target value, which maximum values for each named executive
officer are reflected in the Maximum column. The
ultimate annual incentive award for 2010 was determined by the
Compensation Committee in early 2011, as more fully described in
the narrative under the heading 2010 Annual
Incentives following this table, and the actual
payouts made by us relating to the 2010 annual incentive awards
are included in the Non-Equity Incentive Plan
Compensation column in the 2010 Summary Compensation Table
above. |
|
(2) |
|
Amounts reflected in these columns represent performance shares
granted under the Omnibus Plan for the
2010-2012
performance period. The amounts shown in the Target
column represent the number of performance shares initially
awarded to each named executive officer as his or her long-term
incentive award opportunity (as adjusted for the Stock Split),
and represent the number of performance shares that the
Compensation Committee expects to pay to each named executive
officer for target performance during the performance period.
The number of performance shares initially granted to each named
executive officer was determined by dividing the target
long-term incentive opportunity, denominated as a multiple of
the executives 2010 base salary, by $52.61, the average
closing price of RAI common stock for the 20 trading days prior
to the grant date. The Threshold column shows dashes
because the Compensation Committee will be permitted to reduce
the ultimate number of the 2010 performance shares to
essentially zero, so there is no threshold level for the awards.
For above-target performance for the
2010-2012
performance period, the Compensation Committee has decided to
limit, subject to the cash net income maximum award pools, the
maximum payout of the 2010 performance shares to 150% of each
named executive officers target award opportunity, which
maximum numbers of performance shares are reflected in the
Maximum column. The ultimate number of performance
shares actually earned by each of the named executive officers
for the
2010-2012
performance period will be determined by the Compensation
Committee in early 2013, as more fully described in the
narrative under the heading 2010 Long-Term
Incentives following this table, but the grant date
fair value of these 2010 performance shares awards are disclosed
in the Grant Date Fair Value of Stock and Option
Awards column in this table and in the Stock
Awards column in the 2010 Summary Compensation Table above
based on the probable outcome of the performance conditions as
of the grant date. |
57
|
|
|
(3) |
|
Amounts shown in this column represent the grant date fair value
of the 2010 performance shares award for each named executive
officer and equal the product of $53.24 (the per share closing
price of RAI common stock on the grant date) ($26.62 after the
Stock Split), multiplied by the target number of performance
shares (as adjusted for the Stock Split) awarded to the named
executive officer based on the probable outcome of the
performance conditions on the grant date. |
2010 Annual Incentives. The annual incentive
opportunities reflected in the table above were approved in
February 2010 for each of the named executive officers for the
January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010 performance
period. Although such values represented the target annual
incentive award opportunity for each named executive officer for
2010, the ultimate value of the 2010 annual incentive awards was
determined by the Compensation Committee after the end of the
performance period based first on the annual incentive cash
award pool generated for each of the named executive officers
under the pre-established cash net income performance formula,
and then reduced using negative discretion after consideration
of the actual performance of RAI and its operating companies on
the underlying performance metrics described in the Compensation
Discussion and Analysis.
In February of 2010, the Compensation Committee established the
underlying financial and marketplace performance metrics,
weightings, targets and scoring grids for 2010. Each metric had
a threshold, target and maximum score associated with it. If the
threshold score relating to a particular metric was not met,
then such metric was assigned a score of zero in determining the
overall score. The maximum score that can be assigned to any
metric is 200% of target. In determining the score for any
performance metric, the Compensation Committee considered
unanticipated, unusual or non-recurring events that affected
such metric. The score for each metric was multiplied by its
applicable percentage weighting; the resulting product yielded a
weighted score for the particular metric, which was then added
to all other weighted metric scores (calculated in the same
fashion), resulting in an overall score. The Compensation
Committee then considered whether any additional adjustment was
appropriate; if any such adjustment was approved by the
Committee, the adjustment was applied to the weighted total
score resulting in the final payout score.
After the end of the 2010 performance period, the Compensation
Committee approved the annual incentive cash award pools for
each of the named executive officers based on RAIs 2010
cash net income of $1.5 billion, and then reviewed the 2010
performance of RAI and its operating companies as measured by
the underlying performance metrics. After consideration of the
above results, the Compensation Committee used negative
discretion to reduce the amount of the annual incentive cash
award for each named executive officer. Each named executive
officers 2010 annual incentive award was paid out in cash
in the first quarter of 2011. For more information about the
annual incentive compensation, see the disclosure above under
Compensation Discussion and Analysis Analysis
of 2010 Compensation Decisions Annual
Compensation Annual Incentive Compensation.
2010 Long-Term Incentives. The performance
share awards reflected in the table above were made to each of
the named executive officers in 2010 as a target long-term
incentive award for the January 1, 2010 to
December 31, 2012 performance period. The number of
performance shares each named executive officer actually will
receive, if any, will be determined at the end of such
performance period based first on the maximum payout limitation
provided by the performance shares award pool generated for each
of the named executive officers under a pre-established cash net
income performance formula. Then, the Compensation Committee may
use negative discretion to reduce the number of performance
shares actually earned to an amount consistent with the average
of RAIs scores under the annual incentive award program
for each of the three years in the performance period, but not
higher than 150% of target. For example, if RAIs actual
three-year average annual incentive award score equals the 100%
target, then each named executive officer may earn 100% of his
or her target number of performance shares (subject to reduction
using negative discretion and the adjustment described below).
If, in the alternative, RAIs actual three-year average
score equals or exceeds the 150% maximum annual incentive award
score, then each named executive officer may earn a maximum of
150% of his or her target number of performance shares (subject
to reduction using negative discretion and the adjustment
below), and if RAIs actual three-year average score is
zero, then the named executive officers will not earn any
performance shares. For actual three-year average scores between
zero and
58
the 150% maximum, the number of performance shares each named
executive officer actually earns will be determined by the
Compensation Committee taking into account the actual three-year
average score. In addition, if RAI fails to pay cumulative
dividends for the three-year performance period of at least
$10.80 per share (an amount equal to the dividend paid for the
first quarter of the performance period times the number of
quarters in the performance period) ($5.40 after the Stock
Split), then the number of performance shares earned will be
reduced by an amount equal to three times the percentage of the
dividend underpayment for the three-year performance period, up
to a maximum additional performance share reduction of 50%. The
number of performance shares earned after the performance
adjustments generally will vest on March 1, 2013, and will
be paid in the form of shares of RAI common stock. At the time
the performance shares vest, if at all, each named executive
officer will receive a cash dividend equivalent payment equal to
the aggregate amount of dividends per share declared and paid to
RAIs shareholders on RAI common stock during the period
from the beginning of the performance period through the payment
of the performance shares, multiplied by the number of
performance shares actually earned by the named executive
officer after the performance adjustments.
In the event of a named executive officers death or
termination due to permanent disability, any outstanding
performance shares will vest on the date of the named executive
officers death or termination due to permanent disability
on a pro rata basis, with payment of the pro rata amount of the
performance shares (plus the cash dividend equivalent payment
for such shares) to be made as soon as practicable after such
event occurs. In the event of a named executive officers
retirement or involuntary termination of employment without
cause, the amount of performance shares that will vest on a pro
rata basis on the March 1, 2013 vesting date will be
determined as described above based on RAIs actual
performance over the three-year performance period, with the
payment of the earned number of performance shares (plus the
cash dividend equivalent payment for such shares) to be made as
soon as practicable after the March 1, 2013 vesting date.
In all instances, however, in the event of a change of control
of RAI, the amount of performance shares that will vest on a pro
rata basis on the date of the change of control will be equal to
the higher of (1) the target number of performance shares
and (2) the amount of performance shares that would be
earned based on RAIs actual performance for those fiscal
years completed prior to the change of control and a score of
100% for the year of the change of control, and the payment of
such performance shares will be made as soon as practicable
after the change of control. In the event of a named executive
officers voluntary termination of employment (except in
the case of Ms. Ivey and Messrs. Adams and Payne, who
are eligible for retirement) or termination of employment for
cause, the named executive officers outstanding
performance shares will be forfeited and cancelled. The vesting
provisions described in this paragraph are subject to the terms
of any employment contract between RAI and the named executive
officer. For more information about these long-term incentive
awards, see the disclosure above under Compensation
Discussion and Analysis Analysis of 2010
Compensation Decisions Long-Term Incentive
Compensation Long-Term Incentive Opportunity.
59
The following table sets forth certain information concerning
equity incentive plan awards outstanding as of the end of 2010
for each named executive officer.
Outstanding
Equity Awards At 2010 Fiscal Year-End Table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stock Awards
|
|
|
Equity Incentive Plan Awards:
|
|
Equity Incentive Plan Awards:
|
|
|
Number of Unearned
|
|
Market or Payout Value of
|
|
|
Shares, Units or Other
|
|
Unearned Shares, Units or Other Rights
|
|
|
Rights That Have Not Vested(1)
|
|
That Have Not Vested(5)
|
Name
|
|
(#)
|
|
($)
|
|
Susan M. Ivey
|
|
|
421,860
|
(2)
|
|
|
13,761,073
|
|
|
|
|
565,740
|
(3)
|
|
|
18,454,439
|
|
|
|
|
70,314
|
(4)
|
|
|
2,293,643
|
|
Thomas R. Adams
|
|
|
75,813
|
(2)
|
|
|
2,473,020
|
|
|
|
|
98,709
|
(3)
|
|
|
3,219,888
|
|
|
|
|
12,118
|
(4)
|
|
|
395,289
|
|
Daniel M. Delen
|
|
|
135,300
|
(2)
|
|
|
4,413,486
|
|
|
|
|
181,446
|
(3)
|
|
|
5,918,769
|
|
|
|
|
22,104
|
(4)
|
|
|
721,032
|
|
E. Julia (Judy) Lambeth
|
|
|
22,628
|
(2)
|
|
|
738,125
|
|
|
|
|
64,502
|
(3)
|
|
|
2,104,055
|
|
|
|
|
|
(4)
|
|
|
|
|
Tommy J. Payne
|
|
|
47,364
|
(2)
|
|
|
1,545,014
|
|
|
|
|
61,668
|
(3)
|
|
|
2,011,610
|
|
|
|
|
7,514
|
(4)
|
|
|
245,107
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
All share amounts in this column have been adjusted to reflect
the Stock Split. |
|
(2) |
|
These amounts represent performance shares granted under the
Omnibus Plan on March 1, 2010. These performance shares
will vest on March 1, 2013, subject to certain performance
criteria and a dividend condition. The material terms governing
such awards are described in the narrative under the heading
2010 Long-Term Incentives following the 2010
Grants of Plan-Based Awards Table above. The number of
performance shares set forth in the immediately preceding table
represents the hypothetical maximum number of performance shares
each named executive officer may earn at the end of the
three-year performance period ending December 31, 2012,
based on RAIs above-target performance for the first year
of the performance period. In the case of Ms. Lambeth, the
amount shown in this column represents the hypothetical maximum
number of performance shares that she may earn at the end of the
three-year performance period based on RAIs above-target
performance for the first year of the performance period for the
pro rata portion of her 2010 performance share grant (calculated
pursuant to the terms of the 2010 performance share agreement),
in connection with her termination of employment on
December 31, 2010. She forfeited the remainder of her 2010
performance share grant. The number of performance shares
actually earned by the named executive officers will be
determined by the Compensation Committee based on RAIs
actual performance over the entire three-year performance
period, and such amount may differ significantly from the
amounts shown in this column. |
|
(3) |
|
These awards represent performance shares granted under the LTIP
on March 2, 2009. The number of performance shares set
forth in the table represents the hypothetical maximum number of
performance shares each named executive officer may earn at the
end of the three-year performance period based on RAIs
above-target performance for the first two years of the
performance period. The material terms governing such awards are
essentially the same as the terms governing the performance
shares granted on March 1, 2010, as described in the
narrative under the heading 2010 Long-Term
Incentives following the 2010 Grants of Plan-Based
Awards Table above, except that the three-year performance
period applicable to the 2009 performance shares ends on
December 31, 2011, the three-year average annual incentive
award score will be based on the 2009, 2010 and 2011 scores, and
the three-year cumulative dividend threshold is $10.20 ($5.10
after the Stock Split). In the case of Ms. Lambeth, the
amount shown in this column |
60
|
|
|
|
|
represents the hypothetical maximum number of performance shares
that she may earn at the end of the performance period based on
RAIs above-target performance for the first two years of
the performance period for the pro rata portion of her 2009
performance share grant (calculated pursuant to the terms of the
2009 performance share agreement), in connection with her
termination of employment on December 31, 2010. She
forfeited the remainder of her 2009 performance share grant. The
number of performance shares actually earned by the named
executive officers will be determined by the Compensation
Committee based on RAIs actual performance over the entire
three-year performance period, and such amount may differ
significantly from the amounts shown in this column. |
|
(4) |
|
These amounts represent shares of restricted RAI common stock
granted under the LTIP in 2008. These shares vested, in
accordance with their terms, on March 6, 2011. The vesting
of such shares had been subject to the condition (which was
satisfied) that RAI pay to its shareholders a quarterly dividend
of at least $0.85 per share ($0.425 after the Stock Split)
during the three-year period ended on December 31, 2010.
Such minimum dividend is equal to the per share amount of the
last dividend paid by RAI prior to the grant of these shares of
restricted stock. Prior to the vesting of his or her restricted
stock, each named executive officer received dividends with
respect to his or her outstanding unvested restricted stock to
the same extent that any dividends generally were paid by RAI on
outstanding shares of RAI common stock. Prior to the vesting of
the restricted stock, each named executive officer was
prohibited from selling, pledging or otherwise transferring, but
had voting rights with respect to, the restricted stock. Upon
vesting, the restrictions lapsed and the restricted stock became
freely transferable by the named executive officer, subject to
any restrictions arising under applicable federal or state
securities laws. |
|
|
|
Ms. Lambeth vested in a pro rata portion of her 2008
restricted stock grant (calculated pursuant to the terms of the
2008 restricted stock agreement), and forfeited the remainder of
such grant, in connection with her termination of employment on
December 31, 2010. See the 2010 Option Exercises and Stock
Vested Table below, and Termination and Change
of Control Payments below, for additional information. |
|
(5) |
|
The amounts shown in this column represent the product of
$32.62, the per share closing price of RAI common stock on
December 31, 2010, and the hypothetical maximum number of
performance shares and actual shares of restricted stock, as the
case may be, reflected in the table for the executive as of
December 31, 2010. |
The following table provides information concerning the
restricted stock which the named executive officers vested in
during 2010.
2010 Option
Exercises and Stock Vested Table (1)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stock Awards
|
|
|
Number of Shares Acquired
|
|
Value Realized
|
|
|
on Vesting
|
|
On Vesting(4)
|
Name
|
|
(#)
|
|
($)
|
|
Susan M. Ivey
|
|
|
37,770
|
(2)
|
|
|
2,067,530
|
|
Thomas R. Adams
|
|
|
2,602
|
(2)
|
|
|
142,433
|
|
Daniel M. Delen
|
|
|
12,645
|
(2)
|
|
|
692,187
|
|
E. Julia (Judy) Lambeth
|
|
|
7,352
|
(2)
|
|
|
402,448
|
|
|
|
|
12,198
|
(3)
|
|
|
398,509
|
|
Tommy J. Payne
|
|
|
4,647
|
(2)
|
|
|
254,377
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
None of the named executive officers beneficially owned at any
time during 2010 any options to acquire shares of RAI common
stock. Except as otherwise noted in footnotes 3 and 4 below, the
number of shares reflects the actual number of shares acquired
by the named executive officer on the vesting date and has not
been adjusted for the Stock Split. |
|
(2) |
|
The amounts represent the number of shares of restricted RAI
common stock that vested on March 6, 2010, from a grant
made on March 6, 2007 pursuant to the LTIP. The vesting of
the shares of restricted RAI common stock had been subject to
the condition, which was satisfied, that RAI pay to its
shareholders a minimum quarterly dividend of $0.75 per share
during the three-year period ended December 31, 2009. |
61
|
|
|
|
|
Such minimum dividend was equal to the per share amount of the
last dividend paid by RAI prior to the grant of these shares of
restricted stock. Prior to the vesting of his or her restricted
stock, each named executive officer received dividends with
respect to his or her outstanding unvested restricted stock to
the same extent that any dividends generally were paid by RAI on
outstanding shares of RAI common stock. Prior to the vesting of
the restricted stock, each named executive officer was
prohibited from selling, pledging or otherwise transferring, but
had voting rights with respect to, the restricted stock. Upon
vesting, the restrictions lapsed and the restricted stock became
freely transferable by the named executive officer, subject to
any restrictions arising under applicable federal or state
securities laws. |
|
(3) |
|
This amount represents the shares of restricted RAI common stock
that vested on December 31, 2010 (as adjusted for the Stock
Split), in connection with Ms. Lambeths termination
of employment on such date; such shares represent the pro rata
portion of the 2008 restricted stock grant to which she was
entitled upon her termination of employment. See footnote 4 to
the Outstanding Equity Awards at 2010 Fiscal Year-End Table for
additional information regarding the terms of the 2008
restricted stock grant. |
|
(4) |
|
These amounts represent the value of each named executive
officers restricted RAI common stock on the vesting date
of such restricted stock based on the per share closing price of
RAI common stock on that date, which was $54.74 for the 2007
grants, and in the case of Ms. Lambeth, $32.67 (as adjusted
for the Stock Split) for the 2008 grant. |
Retirement
Benefits
The following table sets forth information concerning each
defined benefit plan that provides the named executive officers
with payments or other benefits at, following, or in connection
with retirement.
2010 Pension
Benefits Table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of
|
|
Present
|
|
|
|
|
Years of
|
|
Value of
|
|
|
|
|
Credited
|
|
Accumulated
|
|
|
|
|
Service(1)
|
|
Benefit(2)
|
Name
|
|
Plan Name
|
|
(#)
|
|
($)
|
|
Susan M. Ivey
|
|
Reynolds American Retirement Plan
|
|
|
6.337
|
|
|
|
160,947
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reynolds American Additional Benefits Plan
|
|
|
6.337
|
|
|
|
2,729,008
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Retirement Plan for Salaried Employees of Brown &
Williamson Tobacco Corporation and Certain Affiliates
|
|
|
18.100
|
|
|
|
1,352,399
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental Pension Plan for Executives of Brown &
Williamson Tobacco Corporation
|
|
|
23.100
|
|
|
|
6,385,695
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas R. Adams
|
|
Reynolds American Retirement Plan
|
|
|
11.552
|
|
|
|
350,609
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reynolds American Additional Benefits Plan
|
|
|
11.552
|
|
|
|
131,548
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Contractual Benefit
|
|
|
25.497
|
|
|
|
3,887,620
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Daniel M. Delen
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
E. Julia (Judy) Lambeth
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tommy J. Payne
|
|
Reynolds American Retirement Plan
|
|
|
22.504
|
|
|
|
453,390
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reynolds American Additional Benefits Plan
|
|
|
22.504
|
|
|
|
970,298
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
The number of years of credited service is shown as of
December 31, 2010. |
|
(2) |
|
The present value of accumulated benefit is shown as of
December 31, 2010. |
62
RAI maintains two defined benefit plans the Reynolds
American Retirement Plan, a tax-qualified pension equity plan
referred to as the PEP, and the Reynolds American Additional
Benefits Plan, a non-qualified plan referred to as the
ABP in which all of the named executive officers
participate, other than Ms. Lambeth and Mr. Delen, who
are not eligible to participate based upon their hire dates. In
addition, Ms. Ivey has accrued benefits for service with
B&W before the Business Combination under two additional
defined benefit plans, the obligations of which were assumed by
RAI in connection with the Business Combination the
Retirement Plan for Salaried Employees of Brown &
Williamson Tobacco Corporation and Certain Affiliates, referred
to as the Legacy Plan, and the Supplemental Pension Plan for
Executives of Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation,
referred to as the B&W Supplemental Plan.
Ms. Iveys years of credited service for purposes of
the PEP and the ABP represent her service with RAI after the
Business Combination. Her years of credited service for purposes
of the Legacy Plan and the B&W Supplemental Plan represent
her service with B&W before the Business Combination. In
addition, pursuant to contracts incorporated by reference into
the B&W Supplemental Plan, Ms. Ivey was granted 5
additional years of service credit for purposes of the B&W
Supplemental Plan. This grant of additional service increased
the present value of the accumulated benefit under the B&W
Supplemental Plan, after an offset for the value of certain
benefits paid under other BAT retirement plans, by $2,804,542
for Ms. Ivey. In addition, pursuant to a letter agreement
between Mr. Adams and RJR Tobacco, Mr. Adams was
credited with 13.945 years of additional service for
purposes of the special retirement benefit provided under such
letter agreement, referred to as the contractual benefit, as
described in more detail under the heading Contractual
Benefit below.
The calculation of the present value of each accumulated benefit
assumes a discount rate of 5.66% (the rate used by RAI in
determining the accumulated pension obligations for financial
reporting purposes) and post-commencement mortality based on the
prescribed mortality assumption under Section 430(h)(3)(A)
of the Code, using the generational mortality option for males
and females. Benefit values of the PEP and the ABP are based on
immediate payment at January 1, 2011. Benefit values for
the Legacy Plan and the B&W Supplemental Plan are based on
payment at age 55 for Ms. Ivey, the age at which her
unreduced benefits could commence.
The present value of accumulated benefits under the ABP shown in
this column for Messrs. Adams and Payne, and the
contractual benefit shown in this column for Mr. Adams, has
been reduced by the value of benefits under such plan or
arrangement previously waived in connection with an elective
funding of a portion of certain named executive officers
non-qualified pension benefits. In 2000, RJR offered its current
employees who had earned non-qualified pension benefits a
one-time opportunity to elect to have at least 75% of their
total earned qualified and non-qualified pension benefits funded
under an existing retention trust over a three-year period. For
any eligible named executive officer who elected such funding,
the accumulated benefits under the ABP and the contractual
benefit were reduced to give effect to the fact that
non-qualified benefits waived would be paid from the retention
trust. The reductions were $1,396,053 for Mr. Adams and
$264,707 for Mr. Payne. In addition, the present value of
accumulated benefits in this column for the B&W
Supplemental Plan does not reflect the value of benefits under
this plan, the obligation for which was retained by B&W in
connection with the Business Combination. The value of these
retained benefits is $7,885,791 for Ms. Ivey.
Reynolds American Plans. The PEP provides a
lump sum benefit that is a multiple of final average earnings
payable after termination of employment at any age. The multiple
is the sum of the participants core earned percentages
(ranging from 4% to 13% per year depending on age) and excess
earned percentages (ranging from 0% to 4% per year depending on
age) while covered by the PEP. A participants lump sum
benefit is equal to his or her total final average earnings
multiplied by his or her total core percentage, plus his or her
final average earnings in excess of Social Security covered
compensation multiplied by his or her total excess percentage.
For purposes of the PEP, final average earnings is the
annualized sum of base salary and bonus in the year earned, and
is determined by considering the 36 consecutive months that
yield the highest average during the participants last
60 months of service. Each years compensation for the
PEP is limited by the compensation limits under the Code.
63
The ABP provides a benefit equal to the benefit that would be
paid under the PEP if the limits on compensation and benefits
under the Code did not apply and if certain extraordinary items
of income that are excluded from compensation under the PEP were
included. This benefit is reduced by the PEP benefit and is paid
upon termination of employment in monthly annuity payments. Lump
sum payments above $10,000 are not available. The ABP is a
non-qualified unfunded plan designed to allow participants in
the plan to receive a pension benefit equal to the benefit that
would have been paid under the PEP had the PEP not been subject
to the limits on compensation and benefits under the Code and
had the compensation thereunder been recognized under the PEP.
All benefits under the ABP are payable out of the general
corporate assets of RAI.
Legacy B&W Plans. The Legacy Plan
provides monthly benefits equal to the product of a
participants years of pensionable service (to a maximum of
38 years) multiplied by his or her pensionable salary,
divided by 57 and reduced by a proportionate amount of the
participants Social Security benefit. A participants
pensionable salary is the average of the participants base
rate of pay in effect for the
36-month
period immediately before his or her termination of employment.
Ms. Iveys service with RAI is not considered
pensionable service, but her base rate of pay with RAI is taken
into account in determining her pensionable salary.
Benefits are payable at age 65. In addition, early
retirement benefits may commence before age 65 to a
participant who terminates employment either after attaining
age 55 with at least ten years of service or with at least
ten years of service when his or her age plus years of service
equal at least 65. If early retirement benefits commence before
age 65, they are reduced
1/4
of 1% per month for each month that commencement precedes
age 60, unless the participant has 30 years of service
at termination, in which case benefits may commence without
reduction on or after age 55. An employee who was a
participant on July 1, 1994, who terminates employment with
at least ten years of service when his or her age plus years of
service equal at least 60 may commence benefits after
attaining age 50 with the reduction for commencement before
age 60 described above. As of December 31, 2010,
Ms. Ivey was eligible for early retirement under the Legacy
Plan, and was eligible for 91.5% of her full retirement benefit
commencing at age 52.
The B&W Supplemental Plan is a non-qualified pension plan
that provides a benefit equal to the benefit that would have
been paid under the Legacy Plan had the Legacy Plan included
bonuses and deferred compensation in pensionable salary,
included additional service in pensionable service for
Ms. Ivey, and not been subject to the limits on
compensation under the Code, reduced by the actuarial value of
the benefit payable under the Legacy Plan. For purposes of this
plan, for the period after the Business Combination, a
participants bonus is deemed to be an amount equal to the
participants salary rate multiplied by the average rating
under B&Ws Performance Incentive Plan for the three
years preceding the Business Combination. Benefits are payable
in a lump sum upon termination of employment from the general
assets of RAI.
Contractual Benefit. Pursuant to the letter
agreement described above, Mr. Adams is vested in the
contractual benefit in an amount equal to his final average
compensation multiplied by his total years of credited service
(including the additional credited service described above)
multiplied by 0.0175. His final average compensation is defined
as the highest consecutive three years of pay (base salary plus
actual bonus) out of the last five years of service. This
special retirement benefit will be offset by any amounts paid
under the PEP, the ABP and the special funding arrangement
described above.
64
The following table sets forth information regarding each
defined contribution or other plan that provides for the
deferral of compensation on a basis that is not tax-qualified.
2010
Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation Table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Registrant
|
|
Aggregate
|
|
Aggregate
|
|
Aggregate
|
|
|
|
|
Contributions
|
|
Earnings
|
|
Withdrawals/
|
|
Balance
|
|
|
|
|
in Last FY(1)
|
|
In Last FY(2)
|
|
Distributions(3)
|
|
at Last FYE(4)
|
Name
|
|
Plan Name
|
|
($)
|
|
($)
|
|
($)
|
|
($)
|
|
Susan M. Ivey
|
|
Reynolds American
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Additional Benefits Plan
|
|
|
98,220
|
|
|
|
1,491
|
|
|
|
99,711
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas R. Adams
|
|
Reynolds American
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Additional Benefits Plan
|
|
|
85,173
|
|
|
|
1,769
|
|
|
|
86,272
|
|
|
|
27,946
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Daniel M. Delen
|
|
Reynolds American
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Additional Benefits Plan
|
|
|
132,453
|
|
|
|
1,772
|
|
|
|
134,225
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
E. Julia (Judy) Lambeth
|
|
Reynolds American Additional Benefits Plan
|
|
|
83,324
|
|
|
|
1,087
|
|
|
|
84,411
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
Tommy J. Payne
|
|
Reynolds American Additional Benefits Plan
|
|
|
55,283
|
|
|
|
992
|
|
|
|
55,936
|
|
|
|
14,142
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
The amounts in this column represent the principal amounts
credited during 2010 and also are included in the All
Other Compensation column of the 2010 Summary Compensation
Table above. |
|
(2) |
|
The amounts in this column represent the aggregate interest
credited during 2010 on each named executive officers
account in the ABP. |
|
(3) |
|
These amounts, which were paid to the respective named executive
officers during the first quarter of 2011, represent the sum of
the principal amounts and interest credited under the ABP during
2010. |
|
(4) |
|
These amounts represent the balance in each named executive
officers account in the ABP as of December 31, 2010,
after taking into account the payment, described in the
preceding footnote, made with respect to each executives
account. Amounts in this column represent pre-2004 deferrals, as
discussed further below. |
RAI maintains two non-qualified excess benefit plans
the ABP and the Reynolds American Supplemental Benefits Plan,
referred to as the SBP for those employees,
including the named executive officers, whose benefits under
RAIs tax-qualified 401(k) plan are limited by virtue of
certain provisions of the Code. All information in the preceding
table reflects activity under the ABP. None of the named
executive officers had any balance or activity under the SBP in
2010. Under the ABP, RAI credits to each named executive
officers account an amount, referred to as the principal
amount, equal to the amount RAI would have contributed to such
executives account in the tax-qualified 401(k) plan, but
for the Codes compensation limitations. In addition, RAI
credits the principal amount with interest at the same rate as
is earned by a certain interest income fund offered under
RAIs tax-qualified 401(k) plan. Unlike with respect to the
tax-qualified 401(k) plan, RAI does not contribute any funds to
the non-qualified excess benefit plans, but instead credits
amounts by book entry to participants accounts.
Commencing with the amounts credited for the 2004 plan year, RAI
distributes, in the first quarter of each year, to each
participant in the non-qualified excess benefit plans any
amounts that have been credited to such participants
account during the prior year. Prior to January 1, 2004, a
participant in the non-qualified excess benefit plans had the
election to defer receipt of the amounts credited to his or her
account in any year until the beginning of the next year or
until his or her termination of employment. Any participant in
the non-qualified excess benefit plans who elected to defer
receipt, until after termination of employment, of any amounts
that had been credited to his or her account prior to
January 1, 2004, will continue to earn interest on such
amounts until termination of employment.
65
Termination
and Change of Control Payments
RAI has entered into agreements and has adopted plans that
require it to provide compensation
and/or other
benefits to each named executive officer in the event of such
executives termination of employment under certain
circumstances, or upon a change of control of RAI occurring
during the executives term of employment. The following
table sets forth the amounts payable to each named executive
officer, other than Ms. Lambeth, if such executives
employment had terminated under different scenarios,
and/or a
change of control of RAI had occurred, on December 31,
2010. Ms. Lambeths employment with RAI terminated on
December 31, 2010, and, therefore, the information provided
below for Ms. Lambeth reflects the amounts payable to her
based on the nature of her actual termination of employment. As
noted above, Ms. Ivey retired from RAI on February 28,
2011. Despite her retirement, we have included in the table
below the same type of information regarding payments and
benefits under different scenarios for Ms. Ivey as we have
provided for the other named executive officers who were serving
as such on December 31, 2010. In addition, although
Ms. Ivey is not entitled to any severance as a result of
her retirement, we also have provided in the narrative following
the table and footnotes, a summary of the amounts payable to her
as of the date of her retirement in a manner similar to the
other information in the table and footnotes.
The table below does not include certain payments or benefits
that do not discriminate in favor of RAIs executive
officers and that generally would be available to any salaried
employee of RAI or its operating subsidiaries upon termination
of employment, or upon a change of control of RAI. For instance,
any participant in RAIs annual cash incentive plan whose
employment were terminated, for any reason other than cause, on
the last business day of any year would be entitled to receive
an annual cash incentive for such year. As a result, the annual
cash incentive for 2010 paid to each of the named executive
officers (and included in the Non-Equity Incentive Plan
Compensation column of the 2010 Summary Compensation Table
above) is not included in the table below.
Except as otherwise expressly indicated, the amounts set forth
in the following table do not represent the actual sums a named
executive officer would receive if his or her employment were
terminated or there were a change of control of RAI. Rather, the
amounts below generally represent only estimates, based upon
assumptions described in the footnotes to the table, of certain
payments and benefits that the named executive officers who were
employed by RAI or any of its subsidiaries on December 31,
2010 would have been entitled to receive had any of the
identified events occurred on such date. Moreover, for all of
the named executive officers, the amounts set forth in the table
necessarily are based upon the benefit plans and agreements that
were in effect as of December 31, 2010. Payments which RAI
may make in the future upon an employees termination of
employment or upon a change of control of RAI will be based upon
benefit plans and agreements in effect at that time, and the
terms of any such future plans and agreements may be materially
different than the terms of RAIs benefit plans and
agreements as of December 31, 2010.
66
Potential
Payments Upon Termination of Employment and/or a Change of
Control Table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Involuntary
|
|
|
|
|
|
Qualifying
|
|
|
Termination
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Termination
|
|
|
Termination
|
|
|
Termination
|
|
|
due to
|
|
|
Change of
|
|
|
|
|
|
Voluntary
|
|
|
not for
|
|
|
for
|
|
|
on Change of
|
|
|
Death or
|
|
|
Control
|
|
|
|
|
|
Termination
|
|
|
Cause(1)
|
|
|
Cause(1)
|
|
|
Control(2)(3)
|
|
|
Disability
|
|
|
(3)(4)
|
|
Name
|
|
Benefits and Payments
|
|
($)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
|
Susan M. Ivey
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Severance(5)
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
8,744,700
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
8,744,700
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
Restricted Stock(6)
|
|
|
2,157,617
|
|
|
|
2,157,617
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
2,293,643
|
|
|
|
2,293,643
|
|
|
|
2,293,643
|
|
|
|
Performance Shares(7)
|
|
|
12,759,618
|
|
|
|
12,759,618
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
12,759,618
|
|
|
|
11,038,710
|
|
|
|
12,759,618
|
|
|
|
Incremental Pension Benefit(8)
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
2,106,762
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
2,106,762
|
|
|
|
0
|
(9)
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
Insurance Benefits(10)
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
39,150
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
39,150
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
Health-Care Benefits(11)
|
|
|
453,184
|
|
|
|
401,829
|
|
|
|
453,184
|
|
|
|
401,829
|
|
|
|
453,184
|
(12)
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
280G Tax
Gross-up(13)
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
8,664,286
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
Thomas R. Adams
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Severance(5)
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
2,069,850
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
2,069,850
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
Restricted Stock(6)
|
|
|
371,868
|
|
|
|
371,868
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
395,289
|
|
|
|
395,289
|
|
|
|
395,289
|
|
|
|
Performance Shares(7)
|
|
|
2,241,319
|
|
|
|
2,241,319
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
2,241,319
|
|
|
|
1,940,199
|
|
|
|
2,241,319
|
|
|
|
Incremental Pension Benefit(8)
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
1,888,128
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
1,888,128
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
Insurance Benefits(10)
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
34,527
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
34,527
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
Health-Care Benefits(11)
|
|
|
67,591
|
|
|
|
42,224
|
|
|
|
67,591
|
|
|
|
42,224
|
|
|
|
67,591
|
(14)
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
280G Tax
Gross-up(13)
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
2,681,715
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
Daniel M. Delen
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Severance(5)
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
2,394,548
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
3,192,730
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
Restricted Stock(6)
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
678,300
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
721,032
|
|
|
|
721,032
|
|
|
|
721,032
|
|
|
|
Performance Shares(7)
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
4,092,363
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
4,092,363
|
|
|
|
3,540,396
|
|
|
|
4,092,363
|
|
|
|
Incremental Pension Benefit(8)
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
Insurance Benefits(10)
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
280G Tax
Gross-up(13)
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
3,329,901
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
E. Julia (Judy) Lambeth
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Severance(15)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,538,513
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Restricted Stock(16)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
398,509
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Performance Shares(17)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,401,358
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tommy J. Payne
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Severance(5)
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
1,572,660
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
1,572,660
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
Restricted Stock(6)
|
|
|
230,591
|
|
|
|
230,591
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
245,107
|
|
|
|
245,107
|
|
|
|
245,107
|
|
|
|
Performance Shares(7)
|
|
|
1,400,247
|
|
|
|
1,400,247
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
1,400,247
|
|
|
|
1,212,129
|
|
|
|
1,400,247
|
|
|
|
Incremental Pension Benefit(8)
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
694,345
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
694,345
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
Insurance Benefits(10)
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
23,455
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
23,455
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
Health-Care Benefits(11)
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
37,584
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
37,584
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
280G Tax
Gross-up(13)
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Generally, under the severance agreement, the term
cause is defined to mean (a) the
executives criminal conduct, (b) the executives
deliberate and continued refusal to (i) perform employment
duties on a substantially full-time basis or (ii) act in
accordance with instructions of a more senior employee or of the
Board, or (c) the executives deliberate misconduct
which would be damaging to RAI without a reasonable good faith
belief that the conduct was in the best interest of RAI. Under
the ESP, the term cause is defined to mean
(a) the executives criminal conduct, (b) the
executives deliberate and continued refusal to
(i) substantially perform his or her employment duties or
(ii) act in accordance with any specific lawful
instructions of an authorized officer or a more senior employee
or majority of the Board, (c) the executives
deliberate misconduct which would be damaging to RAI without a
reasonable good faith belief that the conduct was in the best
interest of RAI, (d) the executives material
violation of RAIs code of conduct or any policy, or
(e) the executives material breach of any
non-competition, non-disclosure of confidential information or
commitment to provide assistance agreement or obligation to RAI,
except that an executive at the level of Ms. Lambeth and
Mr. Delen (who are the only named executive officers who
are not parties to a severance agreement, but instead
participate in the ESP) will not be deemed to have been
terminated for cause unless the Board, by an affirmative vote of
at least two-thirds of the Board, adopts a resolution finding
that the executive committed an act constituting
cause. Under the severance agreement, a termination
for cause is required to be made by RAIs senior human
resources executive. |
67
|
|
|
|
|
Under both the severance agreement and ESP, an executive may
terminate his or her employment for good reason, in
the absence of a change of control event, if the executive
experiences a more than 20% reduction in the total amount of his
or her base salary, targeted annual incentive and targeted
long-term incentive award. In addition, under the severance
agreement, unlike under the ESP, an executive may terminate his
or her employment for good reason, in the absence of
a change of control event, if the executives
responsibilities are substantially reduced in importance or if
the executive is forced to relocate a certain distance from his
current place of employment. Any such termination for good
reason, in the absence of a change of control, is referred to as
a qualifying termination and treated the same as an involuntary
termination not for cause. |
|
(2) |
|
The amounts in this column are based on the assumption that on
December 31, 2010, (a) a change of control of RAI
occurred, and (b) (i) in the case of each named executive
officer, after such change of control, either RAI terminated the
executives employment without cause or the executive
terminated his or her employment for good reason or (ii) in
the case of Mr. Delen, who participates in the ESP, that
during the one-year period prior to the change in control, his
employment was terminated without cause at the request of a
party involved in the change in control transaction (a
termination described in this clause (b) is referred to as
a qualifying termination). Under both the severance agreement
and ESP, a participant is eligible to receive severance benefits
if he or she terminates his or her employment for good reason,
or his or her employment is terminated without cause, within two
years after a change in control. A party to the severance
agreement, unlike a participant in the ESP such as
Mr. Delen, is not eligible to receive severance benefits
under the circumstances described in preceding clause (b)(ii). |
|
|
|
Following the occurrence of a change of control event, the
circumstances that would entitle an executive under the
severance agreement or an executive, at Mr. Delens
level, under the ESP to terminate his or her employment for good
reason, generally, would be (a) a material reduction in the
executives duties from those in effect prior to the change
in control, (b) the executive having to relocate a certain
distance from the executives current place of employment,
(c) a material breach of the severance agreement or ESP, as
the case may be, (d) a reduction in certain employee
benefits, or (e) in the case of the ESP, RAIs failure
to obtain an agreement from any successor to perform RAIs
obligations under the ESP. |
|
(3) |
|
A change of control of RAI is defined, for purposes
of the severance agreement and ESP, to mean the first to occur
of the following: (a) the acquisition by a person of 30% or
more of the voting power of RAIs securities ordinarily
having the right to vote for the election of directors, except
that BATs acquisition of RAIs common stock pursuant
to the Business Combination or as expressly permitted by the
Governance Agreement will not be deemed to be a change of
control, (b) the failure of the persons who constituted
RAIs Board of Directors on July 30, 2004 (or the
failure of individuals elected or nominated either by a
supermajority of such persons or pursuant to certain provisions
of the Governance Agreement) to be a majority of the Board, and
(c) in the case of the severance agreement, the approval by
RAIs shareholders, and in the case of the ESP, the
consummation, of certain extraordinary transactions involving
RAI, including certain merger transactions or certain sales of
all or substantially all of RAIs assets. |
|
(4) |
|
The amounts in this column are based on the assumption that a
change of control of RAI occurred on December 31, 2010, but
that the executives employment continued after such date. |
|
(5) |
|
These amounts represent the value of the following sums that
would be payable upon the occurrence of the events set forth in
the table pursuant to the severance agreement (in the case of
the named executive officers other than Ms. Lambeth and
Mr. Delen) and pursuant to the ESP (in the case of
Mr. Delen) (as each of the severance agreement and ESP is
described above under Compensation Discussion and
Analysis Severance Benefits): |
|
|
|
|
(a)
|
three times annual base salary and three times target annual
incentive in the case of Ms. Ivey, two times annual base
salary and two times target annual incentive in the case of the
other named executive officers, except Mr. Delen, payable
in a single lump sum on July 1, 2011;
|
|
|
|
|
(b)
|
in the case of Mr. Delen, one and one-half times annual
base salary and one and one-half times target annual incentive
upon an involuntary termination of employment without cause, and
two times annual
|
68
|
|
|
|
|
base salary and two times target annual incentive upon a
qualifying termination, in either case payable in a single lump
sum on July 1, 2011; and
|
|
|
|
|
(c)
|
three years of such persons respective annual perquisite
payments (as described in footnote 10 to the 2010 Summary
Compensation Table above), other than Mr. Delen, who is not
entitled to such payments, with such amounts payable in a single
lump sum on July 1, 2011.
|
|
|
|
|
|
As indicated in the preceding sentence, the commencement of the
payments under the severance agreement or ESP would be deferred
for a period of six months pursuant to Section 409A of the
Code. |
|
|
|
The payment of the amounts described in this footnote, and of
the benefits described in footnote 11, are subject to the named
executive officer complying with certain non-compete and
confidentiality obligations owing to RAI and its subsidiaries,
and cooperating with RAI and its subsidiaries in the prosecution
or defense of any litigation. If the named executive officer
refuses to execute a document evidencing the foregoing
obligations, then the named executive officer will not be
entitled to receive the payments described in this footnote and
the benefits described in footnote 11; in such event, the
executive will be entitled to a lesser benefit under RAIs
Separation Pay Plan, provided he or she executes a release of
claims against RAI. Under such program, the amount a person
receives as separation pay is based upon years of service, with
such amount not to exceed 78 weeks of base pay. |
|
(6) |
|
The values in these rows represent the product of $32.62, the
per share closing price of RAI common stock on December 31,
2010, and the number of shares of restricted stock that would
vest upon the occurrence of the particular events identified in
the table. As of December 31, 2010, Ms. Ivey and
Messrs. Adams and Payne were eligible for retirement under
the terms of the LTIP, and the amounts set forth in the
Voluntary Termination column for them is based on
the assumption that each of them voluntarily retired on
December 31, 2010. Upon an executives involuntary
termination without cause, he or she would vest immediately in a
pro rata amount of his or her outstanding restricted stock. Upon
an executives qualifying termination on or after a change
of control, or an executives death or disability, or upon
a change of control in the absence of the executives
termination of employment, the executive would vest immediately
in all of his or her outstanding restricted stock. The value of
the restricted stock shown in the table is based on those shares
of restricted stock granted in 2008; such shares of restricted
stock vested on March 6, 2011, and are included in this
table because they remained unvested as of December 31,
2010, the date as of which the information in this table is
presented. For additional information on such restricted stock,
see the Outstanding Equity Awards at 2010 Fiscal Year-End Table
above. |
|
(7) |
|
These amounts represent the value of the performance shares in
which the executive may vest, if the employment of the executive
had terminated on December 31, 2010, under the
circumstances set forth in the table; such performance shares
are a pro rata amount of the total number of performance shares
granted on March 1, 2010 and March 2, 2009. As of
December 31, 2010, Ms. Ivey and Messrs. Adams and
Payne were eligible for retirement under the terms of the
performance share grant agreements, and the amounts set forth in
the Voluntary Termination column for each of them
are based on the assumption that they voluntarily retired on
December 31, 2010. The terms governing the performance
shares granted on March 1, 2010, are summarized in the
narrative following the 2010 Grants of Plan-Based Awards Table
above. The terms governing the performance shares granted on
March 2, 2009, are essentially the same as the terms
governing the performance shares granted on March 1, 2010,
except that the three-year performance period applicable to the
2009 performance shares ends on December 31, 2011, the
three-year average annual incentive award score will be based on
the 2009, 2010 and 2011 scores, and the three-year cumulative
dividend threshold is $10.20 ($5.10 after the Stock Split). In
contrast, for the 2010 performance shares, the three-year
performance period ends on December 31, 2012, the
three-year average annual incentive award score will be based on
the 2010, 2011 and 2012 scores, and the three-year cumulative
dividend threshold is $10.80 ($5.40 after the Stock Split). |
|
|
|
The value of the performance shares shown in the table if the
named executive officers employment had terminated on
December 31, 2010, due to death or disability, is based on
the assumption that RAIs three-year average annual
incentive award score would be equal to the target. The value of
the performance shares shown in the table if the named executive
officers employment had terminated on December 31,
2010, due to involuntary termination without cause, or a change
of control of RAI |
69
|
|
|
|
|
(irrespective of whether an executives employment
continued thereafter or ended on such date due to a qualifying
termination), is based on (a) in the case of the 2010
performance shares, RAIs actual annual incentive award
score for 2010 and the assumption that RAIs annual
incentive award scores for 2011 and 2012 would be equal to the
target annual incentive score, and that there would be no
adjustment to the number of vested performance shares based on
the failure to meet the minimum dividend threshold, and
(b) in the case of the 2009 performance shares, RAIs
actual annual incentive award scores for 2009 and 2010 and the
assumption that RAIs annual incentive award score for 2011
would be equal to the target annual incentive award score, and
that there would be no adjustment to the number of vested
performance shares based on the failure to meet the minimum
dividend threshold. |
|
(8) |
|
These amounts represent the value of the incremental benefit
under RAIs qualified and non-qualified pension and/or
defined contribution plans (and for Mr. Adams, his
contractual benefit described in the 2010 Pension Benefits Table
above) resulting from the additional service and age credit the
named executive officers will be granted for the additional
three-year period under the severance agreement, referred to as
the severance period, and the treatment of salary and annual
incentives as if they were paid at 100% versus two-thirds, where
applicable. In addition to the amounts in this row, each named
executive officer (other than Mr. Delen, who does not, and
Ms. Lambeth, who did not, participate in the pension plans)
would receive in these circumstances his or her accumulated
pension benefit; the present value of such accumulated benefit
is set forth in the 2010 Pension Benefits Table above. |
|
(9) |
|
As of December 31, 2010, Ms. Ivey would have been
entitled to an unreduced pension benefit under a certain RAI
retirement plan, the obligations of which, with respect to her
and other former B&W employees, were assumed by RAI in
connection with the Business Combination. The value of such
benefit is not included in this table because all participants
in such plan are entitled to such an unreduced benefit upon
termination of employment due to disability. |
|
(10) |
|
The insurance benefits represent the value of (a) the
premiums which would be paid by RAI on behalf of each named
executive officer (other than Mr. Delen, who is not
entitled to such payments, and Ms. Lambeth, who was not
entitled to such payments) during the severance period for
health care, excess liability and life insurance and
(b) contributions by RAI for the benefit of the named
executive officers (other than Ms. Ivey, who was eligible
to receive benefits under a former B&W plan) to RAIs
post-retirement health-savings account program. |
|
(11) |
|
The amounts listed for Ms. Ivey represent the present
value, discounted to December 31, 2010, of the health-care
benefits that would commence (a) immediately in the event
of voluntary termination or termination for cause or
(b) immediately after the severance period in the event of
involuntary termination not for cause or qualifying termination
on change of control. Ms. Ivey was already vested in her
retiree health benefit as of such date. The health-care benefits
for Ms. Ivey are reflected in this table because the
benefits she would have received pursuant to a former B&W
plan, which RAI assumed in the Business Combination, are more
generous than the health-care benefits provided under the RAI
sponsored plan in which the other named executive officers
participate and which is generally available to salaried
employees of RAI. |
|
|
|
The amounts listed for Mr. Adams represent the present
value, discounted to December 31, 2010, of the health-care
benefits that would commence (a) immediately in the event
of voluntary termination or termination for cause or
(b) immediately after the severance period in the event of
involuntary termination not for cause or qualifying termination
on change of control. The health-care benefits for
Mr. Adams are reflected in this table because he would
receive such benefits as a result of additional service credit
provided under the terms of certain letter agreements between
RJR Tobacco and Mr. Adams. |
|
|
|
The amounts listed for Mr. Payne represent the present
value, discounted to December 31, 2010, of the health-care
benefits that would commence immediately after the severance
period in the event of involuntary termination not for cause or
qualifying termination on change of control. The health-care
benefits for Mr. Payne are reflected in this table because
the benefits he would receive under his severance agreement are
more generous than those health-care benefits generally
available to salaried employees of RAI. |
70
|
|
|
|
|
The amounts listed under this footnote are based upon the same
assumptions (including a discount rate of 5.52%) used by RAI in
determining post-retirement health-care expense in its 2010
financial statements in accordance with U.S. generally accepted
accounting principles, referred to as GAAP. |
|
(12) |
|
This amount represents the present value, discounted to
December 31, 2010, of the health-care benefits that would
have commenced immediately for Ms. Ivey in the event of
termination due to disability under the former B&W plan
described in footnote 11; in the event of her termination due to
death, the amount of the survivor benefit would be $209,281. |
|
(13) |
|
This amount represents RAIs payment, as soon as
practicable after the hypothetical change of control, of
(a) the excise tax that would be imposed on the executive
by virtue of the executives receipt of an excess
parachute payment within the meaning of Section 280G
of the Code and (b) a tax
gross-up
amount relating to the payment of such tax. Under the ESP,
unlike the severance agreement, an eligible participant is
entitled to a tax reimbursement payment only if the participant
receives total parachute payments, within the
meaning of the Code, that exceed 110% of the amount the
participant would be entitled to receive without being subject
to the excise tax. |
|
(14) |
|
This amount represents the present value, discounted to
December 31, 2010, of the health-care benefits that would
commence immediately for Mr. Adams in the event of
termination due to disability under the terms of the letter
agreements between RJR Tobacco and Mr. Adams described
above in footnote 11; in the event of his termination due to
death, the amount of the survivor benefit would be $34,128. |
|
(15) |
|
This amount represents the payment of one and one-half times
annual base salary and one and one-half times target annual
incentive, payable in a lump sum on July 1, 2011, to which
Ms. Lambeth is entitled under the ESP as a result of her
involuntary termination without cause on December 31, 2010.
The payment to Ms. Lambeth of the amounts described in this
footnote are subject to the same conditions as set forth in the
last paragraph of footnote 5. |
|
(16) |
|
This amount represents the product of (a) $32.67, the per
share closing price of RAI common stock on December 30,
2010, the date used for purposes of calculating the value of
Ms. Lambeths 2008 restricted stock grant that vested
as a result of her involuntary termination of employment without
cause on December 31, 2010, and (b) the pro rata
portion of such restricted stock (as adjusted for the Stock
Split) that vested on such termination date. See footnote 6
above for additional information regarding the terms of the 2008
restricted stock grant. |
|
(17) |
|
This amount represents the value of the performance shares in
which Ms. Lambeth may vest, based on her involuntary
termination of employment without cause on December 31,
2010 and the assumptions set forth below; such performance
shares represent the pro rata amount of the total number of
performance shares granted on March 1, 2010 and
March 2, 2009. See footnote 7 above for additional
information regarding the terms of such performance share grants. |
|
|
|
The value is based on (a) in the case of the 2010
performance shares, RAIs actual annual incentive award
score for 2010 and the assumption that RAIs annual
incentive award scores for 2011 and 2012 would be equal to the
target annual incentive score, and that there would be no
adjustment to the number of vested performance shares based on
the failure to meet the minimum dividend threshold, and
(b) in the case of the 2009 performance shares, RAIs
actual annual incentive award scores for 2009 and 2010 and the
assumption that RAIs annual incentive award score for 2011
would be equal to the target annual incentive award score, and
that there would be no adjustment to the number of vested
performance shares based on the failure to meet the minimum
dividend threshold. |
71
If the foregoing table reflected the actual amounts payable to
Ms. Ivey as a result of her voluntary retirement on
February 28, 2011, the amounts shown in the Voluntary
Termination column for Ms. Ivey would have been the
following:
(a) Restricted Stock: the sum of
$2,376,221, representing the product of (i) $33.98, the per
share closing price of RAI common stock on February 25,
2011, the date used for purposes of calculating the value of
Ms. Iveys 2008 restricted stock grant that vested as
a result of her voluntary retirement on February 28, 2011,
and (ii) the pro rata portion of such restricted stock (as
adjusted for the Stock Split) that vested on such retirement
date. See footnote 6 above for additional information regarding
the terms of the 2008 restricted stock grant.
(b) Performance Shares: the sum of
$14,722,959, representing the value of the performance shares in
which Ms. Ivey may vest, based on her voluntary retirement
on February 28, 2011 and the assumptions set forth below;
such performance shares represent the pro rata amount of the
total number of performance shares granted on March 1, 2010
and March 2, 2009. See footnote 7 above for additional
information on the terms of such performance share grants. The
value is based on (i) in the case of the 2010 performance
shares, RAIs actual annual incentive award score for 2010
and the assumption that RAIs annual incentive award scores
for 2011 and 2012 would be equal to the target annual incentive
score, and that there would be no adjustment to the number of
vested performance shares based on the failure to meet the
minimum dividend threshold, and (ii) in the case of the
2009 performance shares, RAIs actual annual incentive
award scores for 2009 and 2010 and the assumption that
RAIs annual incentive award score for 2011 would be equal
to the target annual incentive award score, and that there would
be no adjustment to the number of vested performance shares
based on the failure to meet the minimum dividend threshold.
(c) Health-Care Benefits: the sum of
$454,273, representing the present value, discounted to
February 28, 2011, of the health-care benefits that will
commence immediately upon Ms. Iveys retirement. The
health-care benefits for Ms. Ivey are reflected because the
benefits she will receive pursuant to a former B&W plan,
which RAI assumed in the Business Combination, are more generous
than the health-care benefits provided under the RAI sponsored
plan in which the other named executive officers participate and
which is generally available to salaried employees of RAI.
72
Other Management
Proposals
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|
Item 2:
|
Advisory
Vote on the Compensation of Named Executive
Officers
|
As required under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer
Protection Act, referred to as the Dodd-Frank Act, and
Section 14A of the Exchange Act, we are asking you to cast
an advisory (non-binding) vote on the following resolution at
our 2011 annual meeting of shareholders:
RESOLVED, that, on an advisory basis, the compensation of
RAIs named executive officers, as disclosed in the
Compensation Discussion and Analysis, compensation tables and
related narratives and descriptions in RAIs proxy
statement for the 2011 annual meeting, is hereby APPROVED.
Your Board of
Directors recommends a vote FOR this proposal.
This advisory vote, commonly known as a
say-on-pay
vote, gives you the opportunity to express your views about the
compensation we pay to our named executive officers, as
described in this proxy statement. The Board believes that our
executive compensation program is designed appropriately and
working effectively to ensure that we compensate our named
executive officers for the achievement of annual and long-term
performance goals enhancing shareholder value. Before you vote,
please review our Compensation Discussion and Analysis beginning
on page 35 and the tabular and narrative disclosure that
follows it. These sections describe the compensation program for
our named executive officers and the rationale behind the
decisions made by our Compensation Committee.
You may vote FOR or AGAINST the
resolution or abstain from voting on the resolution. The result
of the
say-on-pay
vote will not be binding on us or the Board. The final decision
on the compensation and benefits of our named executive officers
remains with the Board and the Compensation Committee. However,
RAI and the Board value the views of our shareholders. The Board
and Compensation Committee will review the results of the vote
and take them into consideration in addressing future
compensation policies and decisions.
Our 2010
Performance
RAI is a holding company whose operating subsidiaries include
the second largest cigarette manufacturer in the United States
and the second largest smokeless tobacco products manufacturer
in the United States. Our business strategy is focused on
anticipating shifts in consumer preferences by becoming an
innovative total tobacco company. RAI also is focused on
delivering sustainable earnings growth, strong cash flow and
enhanced long-term shareholder value through growth strategies
for its operating companies.
In a year of economic and industry-related challenges, RAI and
its operating companies delivered excellent performance in 2010.
The successful execution of our business strategies, which
focused on growth brand performance while improving productivity
and efficiency, resulted in growth in operating income, net
income and EPS over 2009.
We further demonstrated our ongoing commitment to enhance
shareholder value by:
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increasing our quarterly dividend by 8.9%;
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implementing a
two-for-one
stock split; and
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increasing our dividend payout target from 75% to 80% of our net
income.
|
In 2010, we also had strong market share and shipment volume
performance and increased market share for all four key
brands Camel, Pall Mall, Grizzly and Natural
American Spirit.
Our Executive
Compensation Program
As described more fully in our Compensation Discussion and
Analysis, our executive compensation program is designed to help
us (1) attract, motivate, and retain exceptional management
talent, (2) reward our management for strong performance
and the successful execution of our business plans and
strategies, (3) align managements compensation
interests with the long-term investment interests of our
shareholders and
73
(4) provide adequate incentives to overcome the reluctance
that some people may have to work in a controversial industry,
such as the tobacco industry. The Compensation Committee
evaluated the programs pay for performance effectiveness
and shareholder orientation when making 2010 compensation
decisions.
Here are the highlights of the 2010 compensation program for our
named executive officers:
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|
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Pay opportunities that are appropriate to our size and industry
and heavily performance-based using multiple internal and
stock-based performance measures. Our targeting of incentive
opportunities between the 50th and 75th percentiles of
food, beverage and tobacco peers is an acknowledgement of the
higher pay requirements of the tobacco industry given the
controversial nature of the industry. The appropriateness of
this pay posture has been re-evaluated by the Compensation
Committee during the past two years.
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Balanced annual incentives driven by both financial and
marketplace performance, with the financial performance drivers
used in our incentives disclosed in this proxy statement in
numeric terms.
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A long-term incentives program that is entirely
performance-based and aligned with shareholder interests through
links to stock price, dividend maintenance and multiple years of
bonus payout performance, and whose payout potential is capped
at a conservative level of 150% of target.
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Clawback provisions in our incentive compensation programs that
allow for recoupment of incentives in certain situations.
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No use of stock options, and no prior backdating or repricing of
stock options.
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Modest and declining use of perquisites, with no income tax
gross-ups on
such perquisites.
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Stock ownership guidelines for executives and directors.
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A policy prohibiting the hedging of our stock.
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Severance arrangements that protect shareholder interests by
offering moderate levels of severance pay in return for
non-competition and non-disclosure covenants, assistance with
future litigation, and stability in the event of a threatened or
pending change in control.
|
Pay for
Performance
We believe you should vote FOR the compensation
program for our named executive officers because the
compensation earned by our named executive officers, as
summarized below, was aligned with both our pay for performance
philosophy and our 2010 performance:
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Base salary increases in early 2010 of 3% to 6% of base salary
were driven by individual performance ratings for the prior year
using the same process used for all employees in the company.
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|
2010 annual incentive awards were earned at 118% of target,
reflecting strong 2010 performance against both financial and
marketplace goals set at the beginning of 2010.
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Performance units granted in 2008 vested at 116% of target
because (1) we exceeded the 2010 EPS goal that was set at
the time of the grant, (2) our
2008-2010
TSR of 22.6% was in the top one-third of our TSR comparator peer
group and (3) we maintained a minimum quarterly dividend of
$0.85 per share ($0.425 after the Stock Split) throughout 2008,
2009 and 2010.
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|
Restricted stock granted in 2008 vested because we maintained a
minimum quarterly dividend of $0.85 per share ($0.425 after the
Stock Split) throughout 2008, 2009 and 2010.
|
For these reasons, your Board of Directors unanimously
recommends that shareholders vote FOR the compensation of
RAIs named executive officers, as disclosed in the
Compensation Discussion and Analysis, compensation tables and
related narratives and descriptions in RAIs proxy
statement for the 2011 annual meeting.
74
|
|
Item 3:
|
Advisory
Vote Regarding Frequency of Future Advisory Votes on the
Compensation of Named Executive Officers
|
As required under the Dodd-Frank Act and Section 14A of the
Exchange Act, we also are asking you this year to cast an
advisory (non-binding) vote in response to the following
resolution at our 2011 annual meeting:
RESOLVED, that RAIs shareholders recommend, on an
advisory basis, that, after the 2011 annual meeting, RAI conduct
any required shareholder advisory vote on the compensation of
RAIs named executive officers every year, every two years,
or every three years in accordance with such frequency receiving
the most votes cast in response to this resolution.
This advisory vote, commonly known as a
say-on-pay
frequency vote, gives you the opportunity to express your
views about how frequently (but at least once every three years)
we should conduct future
say-on-pay
votes. You may vote for a
say-on-pay
frequency of 1 YEAR, 2 YEARS OR 3
YEARS in response to the resolution or abstain from voting
in response to the resolution.
The results of the
say-on-pay
frequency vote will be advisory and will not be binding upon us
or our Board. However, RAI and the Board will take into account
the outcome of the
say-on-pay
frequency vote when determining how frequently RAI will conduct
future
say-on-pay
votes, and RAI will disclose its frequency decision as required
by the SEC.
After carefully considering the various arguments supporting and
opposing each of the frequency options, the Board has determined
that an advisory
say-on-pay
vote that occurs on an annual basis is the most appropriate for
RAI and our shareholders at this time. In reaching that
decision, the Board considered that the compensation program for
our named executive officers is reviewed, adjusted and approved
on an annual basis, and that an annual advisory vote will allow
our shareholders to provide us with direct input on our
compensation philosophy, policies and practices as disclosed in
the proxy statement every year.
For these reasons, your Board of Directors unanimously
recommends that shareholders vote for a frequency of 1 YEAR for
future shareholder advisory votes on the compensation of
RAIs named executive officers.
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Item 4:
|
Amendment
to the Articles of Incorporation
|
RAIs Board has unanimously approved, and recommends to the
shareholders for their adoption, an amendment to the Articles of
Incorporation, referred to as the Amendment, which would
increase the number of authorized shares of RAI common stock
from 800,000,000 to 1,600,000,000, and correspondingly increase
the aggregate number of authorized shares of all classes of RAI
capital stock from 900,000,000 to 1,700,000,000. If the
Amendment is adopted by the shareholders, then the first
sentence of Article SIXTH of the Articles of Incorporation
would be amended to read in its entirety as follows (but the
remainder of the Articles of Incorporation will not change):
The total number of shares of capital stock that the
Corporation is authorized to issue is 1,700,000,000 shares,
of which 1,600,000,000 shares are Common Stock, par value
$.0001 each (Common Stock), and
100,000,000 shares are Preferred Stock, par value $.01 each
(Preferred Stock).
At present, RAI is authorized by its Articles of Incorporation
to issue 900,000,000 shares of capital stock, of which
800,000,000 shares are common stock, par value $.0001 per
share, and 100,000,000 shares are preferred stock, par
value $.01 per share. If the Amendment is adopted by the
shareholders, then the authorization pertaining to all capital
stock will be increased to 1,700,000,000 shares, the
authorization pertaining to common stock will be increased to
1,600,000,000 shares, and the authorization relating to
preferred stock will remain at 100,000,000 shares. The
shareholders adoption of the Amendment will not change the
par value of either RAIs common stock or preferred stock.
75
As of March 14, 2011, there
were shares
of RAI common stock outstanding and entitled to vote. In
addition, as of March 14, 2011, a total
of shares
were reserved for issuance under RAIs stock-based benefit
plans. Of the preferred stock authorized under the Articles of
Incorporation, 4,000,000 shares have been designated as
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, none of
which is outstanding, and 1,000,000 shares have been
designated as Series B Preferred Stock, all of which are
outstanding and held by RJR.
As a result of the Stock Split, the number of shares of RAI
common stock outstanding and entitled to vote doubled. The
number of shares of RAI common stock authorized pursuant to the
Articles of Incorporation, however, was not changed in
connection with the Stock Split and, therefore, the Stock Split
had the effect of substantially reducing the number of shares of
RAI common stock available for issuance. If the Amendment is
adopted, then the ratio of the number of shares available for
issuance to the number of authorized shares will be the same
after the Stock Split as before the Stock Split.
If the Amendment is approved, then the number of authorized but
unissued shares of common stock not earmarked for any particular
purpose will
be ,
and the Board will have the authority to issue such shares of
common stock for any proper corporate purpose without further
shareholder approval, unless such approval is required by
applicable law or by the NYSE. Such authorized but unissued
shares of common stock will provide RAI with additional
flexibility, as such shares could be issued to take advantage of
future opportunities for equity financing, in connection with
possible acquisitions, for stock splits, stock dividends and
other stock distributions and for other corporate purposes.
RAIs Board is seeking approval for the additional
authorized common stock at this time because opportunities
requiring prompt action may arise in the future, and the Board
believes the delay and expense in seeking shareholder approval
for additional authorized common stock could deprive RAI and its
shareholders of the ability to benefit effectively from
opportunities
and/or cause
the loss of attractive acquisition or financing arrangements.
RAI has no definitive acquisition plans at this time and, except
for issuances of shares of common stock in connection with its
stock-based benefit plans, RAI does not have, at this time any
plan, commitment, arrangement, understanding or agreement,
either oral or written, to issue any such stock. Under certain
circumstances, the issuance of additional shares of common stock
could dilute the voting rights, equity and earnings per share of
existing shareholders. No shareholder will have any preemptive
rights to purchase or subscribe for any shares of common stock
which may be issued.
Although the proposal to authorize additional shares of common
stock is being made for the reasons stated above, the newly
authorized shares also would be available for issuance by the
Board without further shareholder approval in response to an
actual or threatened takeover bid. The issuance of such shares
could have the effect of diluting the stock ownership of persons
seeking to obtain control of RAI and, therefore, the Amendment
may have the effect of discouraging efforts to gain control of
RAI in a manner not approved by the Board. The Board is not
aware of any pending or threatened takeover bid for RAI, and the
Amendment was not designed or intended by the Board to
discourage takeover efforts. Because the Amendment may
discourage certain takeover attempts, shareholders could be
deprived of opportunities to sell their shares at an increased
price that might result from a takeover attempt.
The Amendment described in this section requires for approval
the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares cast at the
2011 annual meeting.
Your Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR the Amendment
to the Articles of Incorporation.
76
Audit
Matters
Audit
Committee Report
Pursuant to rules adopted by the SEC designed to improve
disclosures related to the functioning of corporate audit
committees and to enhance the reliability and credibility of
financial statements of public companies, the Audit Committee of
RAIs Board of Directors submits the following report:
The Board of Directors of RAI has adopted a written Audit and
Finance Committee Charter which incorporates requirements
mandated by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the NYSE listing
standards. All members of the Audit Committee are independent as
defined by SEC rules and NYSE listing standards. At least one
member of the Audit Committee is an audit committee
financial expert within the meaning of Item 407(d)(5)
of
Regulation S-K.
The Audit Committee has reviewed and discussed the audited
consolidated financial statements for fiscal year 2010 with
management and has discussed with the independent auditors the
matters required to be discussed by SAS No. 114 (AICPA,
Professional Standards, Vol. 1 AU section 380), and
as adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board in
Rule 3200T.
The Audit Committee has received written disclosures and the
letter from the independent auditors required by the applicable
requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board
regarding the independent auditors communications with the
Audit Committee concerning independence, and has discussed with
the independent auditors the auditors independence.
Based on the review and discussions referred to above, the Audit
Committee recommended to the Board of Directors that the audited
consolidated financial statements for fiscal year 2010 be
included in RAIs Annual Report on
Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2010, as filed with the SEC.
Respectfully submitted,
Martin D. Feinstein (Chair)
Luc Jobin
Lionel L. Nowell, III
H.G.L. (Hugo) Powell
Audit
Committees Audit and Non-Audit Services Pre-Approval
Policy
The Audit Committees current policy is to pre-approve on
an annual basis all audit and non-audit services performed by
the independent auditors to assure that the provision of these
services does not impair the independent auditors
independence. Such pre-approved services are described in
appendices to the Audit Committees Audit and Non-Audit
Services Pre-Approval Policy. Such Policy (including appendices)
is publicly available, as set forth below.
The Audit Committee also generally establishes approved fees for
pre-approved audit and non-audit services on an annual basis.
The Audit Committee is required to approve any fee expected to
exceed a pre-approved level by more than $100,000, and is
required to be notified at its next meeting if any fee is
expected to exceed a pre-approved level by less than $100,000.
In addition, to the extent that the Audit Committee does not
establish a fee level for a specific service that falls within a
broad category of a pre-approved audit or non-audit service, the
Audit Committee is required to pre-approve any fee for such
service expected to exceed $100,000, and is required to be
notified at its next meeting if any fee for such service is
expected to be less than $100,000. The Audit Committee is
mindful of the overall relationship of fees for audit and
non-audit services in determining whether to approve any such
services.
77
The Audit Committees current Audit and Non-Audit Services
Pre-Approval Policy was adopted by the Audit Committee in August
2004 and last revised in February 2011. The Audit and Non-Audit
Services Pre-Approval Policy describes the procedures and
conditions pursuant to which services proposed to be performed
by the independent auditors may be pre-approved by the Audit
Committee, or its Chair pursuant to delegated authority. The
Policy provides that the Chair of the Audit Committee may make
pre-approval decisions for proposed services that are not
covered by specific reference in the Policy and have not been
previously approved by the full Audit Committee. Under the
Policy, the Chair is required to report any such pre-approval
decisions to the full Audit Committee at its next scheduled
meeting.
A copy of the Audit Committees Audit and Non-Audit
Services Pre-Approval Policy can be found in the
Governance section of our web site at
www.reynoldsamerican.com, or can be requested free of
charge, by writing to the Office of the Secretary, Reynolds
American Inc., P.O. Box 2990, Winston-Salem, North
Carolina
27102-2990.
Fees of
Independent Auditors
The following table shows the aggregate fees billed to RAI by
KPMG LLP for services rendered during each of the fiscal years
ended December 31, 2010 and 2009:
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Amount of Fees
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2010
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2009
|
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Audit Fees
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$
|
5,051,846
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|
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$
|
5,282,352
|
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Audit-Related Fees
|
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579,694
|
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648,143
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Tax Fees
|
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|
328,655
|
|
|
|
255,234
|
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All Other Fees
|
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|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Total Fees
|
|
$
|
5,960,194
|
|
|
$
|
6,185,729
|
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Audit
Fees
Audit fees principally constitute fees billed for professional
services rendered by KPMG LLP for the audit of RAIs
consolidated financial statements for the fiscal years ended
December 31, 2010 and 2009, the reviews of the condensed
consolidated financial statements included in RAIs
Quarterly Reports on
Form 10-Q
filed during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2010 and
2009, and the audits of certain subsidiaries where legally or
statutorily required.
Audit-Related
Fees
Audit-related fees constitute fees billed for assurance and
related services rendered by KPMG LLP that are reasonably
related to the performance of the audit or review of RAIs
consolidated financial statements, other than the services
reported above under Audit Fees, in the
fiscal years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009. In fiscal
2010 and 2009, audit-related fees consisted principally of fees
for audits of certain subsidiaries, audits of the financial
statements of certain employee benefit plans and other agreed
upon procedures performed under Statements on Auditing Standards
and Statements on Standards for Attestation Engagements. The
Audit Committee pre-approved 100% of the audit-related services
in 2010 and 2009.
Tax
Fees
Tax fees constitute fees billed for professional services
rendered by KPMG LLP for tax compliance, tax consulting and tax
planning in each of the fiscal years ended December 31,
2010 and 2009. In fiscal 2010 and 2009, tax fees consisted
principally of fees for tax compliance advice. The Audit
Committee pre-approved 100% of the tax services in 2010 and 2009.
78
All Other
Fees
All other fees constitute the aggregate fees billed, if any, for
services, other than the services reported above under
Audit Fees,
Audit-Related Fees and
Tax Fees, provided by KPMG LLP in each
of the fiscal years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009.
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Item 5:
|
Ratification
of the Appointment of KPMG LLP as Independent
Auditors
|
The Audit Committee has appointed KPMG LLP, independent
registered public accounting firm, to audit the consolidated
financial statements of RAI for the fiscal year ending
December 31, 2011. We are submitting this selection to you
for your ratification. KPMG LLP audited RAIs consolidated
financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31,
2010, and has been RAIs independent auditors since
RAIs organization in 2004. KPMG LLP also had served as
RJRs independent auditors from 2000 to 2004.
Representatives of KPMG LLP are expected to be present at the
2011 annual meeting to make a statement, if KPMG LLP desires,
and to answer your questions.
If the shareholders do not ratify the appointment of KPMG LLP,
then the Audit Committee may reconsider its appointment, but is
not obligated to appoint a different independent accounting
firm. Even if the appointment is ratified, the Audit Committee,
in its discretion, may direct the appointment of a different
independent accounting firm at any time during the year if the
Audit Committee determines that such a change would be in the
best interests of RAI and its shareholders.
Your Board of Directors considers KPMG LLP to be well
qualified and recommends a vote FOR ratification of KPMGs
appointment as our independent auditors for fiscal year 2011.
79
Shareholder
Proposals
Certain of our shareholders have submitted the three proposals
described under Items 6, 7 and 8. We will furnish the
names, addresses and claimed share ownership positions of the
proponents of these proposals promptly upon written or oral
request directed to the Secretary of RAI. The following
proposals have been carefully considered by the Board, which has
concluded that their adoption would not be in the best interests
of RAI or its shareholders. For the reasons stated after each
proposal and its supporting statement, the Board recommends a
vote AGAINST each of the three proposals.
Proposals of shareholders intended to be included in RAIs
2012 annual meeting proxy statement and form of proxy must be
received by the Secretary of RAI, in writing, no later than
November 26, 2011, at our corporate offices: Reynolds
American Inc., P.O. Box 2990, Winston-Salem, North
Carolina
27102-2990.
The rules of the SEC contain detailed requirements for
submitting proposals for inclusion in our 2012 proxy statement
and permit us to exclude proposals from our proxy statement in
specified circumstances.
In accordance with RAIs Bylaws, shareholders who do not
submit a proposal for inclusion in our 2012 annual meeting proxy
statement, as described in the immediately preceding paragraph,
but who intend to present a proposal, nomination for director or
other business for consideration at our 2012 annual meeting,
must notify the Secretary of RAI, in writing, that they intend
to submit their proposal, nomination or other business at our
2012 annual meeting by no earlier than October 27, 2011,
and no later than November 26, 2011. RAIs Bylaws
contain detailed requirements that a shareholders notice
must satisfy. If a shareholder does not comply with the notice
requirements, including the deadlines specified above, then the
persons named as proxies in the form of proxy for the 2012
annual meeting will use their discretion in voting the proxies
on any such matters raised at the 2012 annual meeting. Any
shareholder notice should be in writing and addressed to the
Office of the Secretary, Reynolds American Inc.,
P.O. Box 2990, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
27102-2990.
RAIs Bylaws can be found in the Governance
section of our web site at www.reynoldsamerican.com or
may be obtained, free of charge, from the Office of the
Secretary.
For a further discussion of the Board nomination process, see
The Board of Directors Governance
Agreement and The Board of Directors
Committees and Meetings of the Board of Directors
Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee above.
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Item 6:
|
Shareholder
Proposal on Elimination of Classified Board
|
A shareholder has submitted the following proposal, which will
be voted upon at our annual meeting if presented by its
proponent:
Resolved: That the shareholders of Reynolds
American Inc. (the Company) urge the Board of
Directors (the Board) to take the necessary steps to
eliminate the classification of the Board of the Company to
require that all directors stand for election annually. The
Board declassification shall be completed in a manner that does
not affect the unexpired terms of directors previously
elected.
The proponent has submitted the following statement in support
of this proposal:
We believe the election of directors is the most powerful
way that our Companys shareholders can influence the
corporate governance and strategic direction of our Company.
Currently, the Board is divided into three classes of directors.
Each class of directors serves staggered three-year terms.
Because of this structure, shareholders may only vote on roughly
one-third of the Companys directors each year.
In our view, the staggered term structure of the
Companys Board is not in the best interest of shareholders
because it reduces management accountability to shareholders. We
believe that shareholders should have the opportunity to vote on
the performance of the entire Board each year. We feel that such
annual accountability helps focus directors on the performance
of top executives and on increasing shareholder value. Annual
elections of all directors gives shareholders the power to
either completely replace the Board or replace any individual
director on the Board, if a situation arises that warrants such
drastic action.
80
We do not believe that annual director elections will be
destabilizing to our Companys Board or negatively impact
the continuity of director service. Our directors, like the
directors of the overwhelming majority of other public
companies, are routinely elected by a wide margin of shareholder
votes. In our opinion, annual director elections will increase
the responsiveness of directors to shareholder concerns without
limiting the Companys ability to attract highly qualified
directors who are willing to oversee the Company continuously
for several years.
There are indications from academic studies that
classified boards have an adverse impact on shareholder value.
For instance, a study by Harvard Law School professors Lucian
Bebchuk and Alma Cohen concludes that staggered boards are
associated with a reduced firm value (The Costs of
Entrenched Boards, Journal of Financial Economics, Vol. 78,
pp. 409-433,
2005). Moreover, this study finds that the reduction in firm
value is most significant at companies, such as ours, where
classified boards have been established through their corporate
charters.
We urge shareholders to vote FOR this proposal.
Your Board of Directors recommends a vote AGAINST this
proposal.
The Board believes that this shareholder proposal seeking to
eliminate the classification of the Board and to require that
all directors stand for election annually would not be in the
best interests of RAI and its shareholders. This proposal has
come before our shareholders for their consideration at our 2009
and 2010 annual meetings, and was defeated both times, with only
39.62% and 34.19% of the shares voting at such meetings
supporting the proposal.
RAIs classified board structure was put in place in 2004
in connection with the Business Combination, a transaction that
was approved by RJRs shareholders. In that transaction,
B&W acquired approximately 42% of our common stock and
entered into a Governance Agreement with RAI. The Governance
Agreement gives certain rights to B&W, including board
representation and the right to approve certain amendments to
our Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws, and contemplates a
classified board of directors. Our Articles of Incorporation
provide that our Board is divided into three equal classes, as
nearly as may be reasonably possible, with directors serving
three-year terms. Our classified board is part of a carefully
balanced governance structure designed to take into account
B&Ws desire to protect and enhance its investment in
RAI, while retaining RAIs independence.
These provisions of the Articles of Incorporation and Governance
Agreement were clearly disclosed to RJRs shareholders
prior to the shareholder vote on the Business Combination.
Our 11-member Board is composed of four directors (two of whom
are independent) who have been designated by our largest
shareholder, B&W; our Chief Executive Officer; and six
other independent directors. As such, the composition of our
Board is designed to vigorously represent the long-term
interests of shareholders without any motivation to entrench
management. In addition, the Board has experienced a healthy
turnover since RAIs formation as a public company in
mid-2004, with seven new members joining the Board over the past
seven years.
Furthermore, directors elected for three-year terms have the
same fiduciary duties as, and are not any more insulated from
responsibility to RAIs shareholders than, directors
elected annually, and therefore are equally accountable to
RAIs shareholders. In addition, corporate governance
requirements of the NYSE rules and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002 impose responsibilities on RAI directors. RAI has
implemented policies and procedures focused on the quality of
directors and the effective functioning and regular evaluation
of the Board, both as a whole and as individual members, and its
committees. Electing one-third of RAIs directors each year
provides shareholders with an orderly manner in which to effect
change and communicate their views on the performance of RAI and
its directors.
A staggered board allows RAI to attract highly qualified
directors who are willing to commit the time and resources
necessary to understand RAIs business, operations and
strategy, thereby providing continuity and stability in decision
making. Directors who have served RAI for multiple years are
well positioned to take
81
a long-term perspective and make the decisions necessary to
maximize shareholder value in the long-run while being sensitive
to short-term needs or objectives.
The classified structure of the RAI Board enhances the ability
of the Board to obtain the best outcome for its shareholders in
the event of an unsolicited takeover proposal by incentivizing
the proponent for change to negotiate with the Board and
evaluate a variety of alternatives. The existence of a
classified board will not prevent a person from acquiring
control of the Board. If all directors were elected at a single
annual meeting, the short-term objectives of those proposing an
alternative slate could deprive other shareholders from
realizing long-term value the experienced and knowledgeable
Board was working to enhance. The structure also serves to
prevent precipitous changes in corporate policies and strategies
that were implemented by a Board focused on improving RAIs
long-term value proposition.
You should note that, if approved, this proposal would not
automatically eliminate RAIs classified board structure.
It is a non-binding proposal that requests that RAIs Board
take the steps necessary to declassify the Board. A formal
amendment to RAIs Articles of Incorporation repealing the
provisions classifying the Board would need to be recommended by
RAIs Board and submitted to shareholders for approval at a
subsequent shareholders meeting. In order for an amendment
to the Articles of Incorporation to be approved, the holders of
shares representing the affirmative vote of a majority of all
votes cast on the amendment must vote to adopt the amendment.
Therefore, your Board of Directors urges you to vote AGAINST
this proposal.
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Item 7:
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Shareholder
Proposal on Eliminating Tobacco Flavoring
|
Two shareholders have submitted the following proposal, which
will be voted upon at our annual meeting if presented by its
proponent:
REYNOLDS
AMERICAN INC.
Address Concerns
Regarding Tobacco Flavoring
WHEREAS Reynolds American Inc., unlike its main
U.S. competitor, regularly advertises its tobacco products
in media outlets that are not directly oriented to youth but are
read by many. Among these are magazines like Sports
Illustrated and Entertainment. It also places inserts
in weekly newspapers that are freely available and feature
material attractive to youth. Some of these feature Camel
tobacco products (especially SNUS) that come in different
flavors such as frost, mellow,
robust and winterchill.
Flavorings and other additives are widely used in
cigarettes and other tobacco products to increase the
palatability or attractiveness of tobacco smoke and usage,
particularly for young people.
The United States Food and Drug Administration has
shown that the smoking of flavored cigarettes is far more
popular among younger people than among older people. It also
noted that a March, 2008 poll that found that one in five
youngsters between
12-17 had
seen flavored tobacco products or ads, while only one in 10
adults reported having seen them. It also showed evidence that
youth between
13-18, 52%
of smokers who had heard of flavored cigarettes reported
interest in trying them and nearly 60% thought that flavored
cigarettes would taste better than regular cigarettes.
The FDA also has stated that an important way to reduce
the death and disease caused by smoking is to prevent children
and adolescents from starting to smoke. Studies have shown that
17 year old smokers are three times as likely to use
flavored cigarettes as are smokers over the age of 25. In
addition to being more attractive to young people, flavored
products make it easier for new smokers to start smoking by
masking the unpleasant flavor of tobacco. Studies have also
demonstrated that young people believe that flavored tobacco
products are safer than unflavored tobacco products.
82
RESOLVED, that, because youth initiation of tobacco
products is influenced by their flavoring, shareholders request
that, within six months of Reynolds American Inc.s annual
meeting, the Board of Directors move to ensure that RAI stops
the production of any of its tobacco products with such
flavoring added, as well as their distribution and their
marketing, unless and until it can be proven by independent and
evidence-based research that such added flavors do not
contribute to youth initiation of tobacco use.
The proponents have submitted the following statement in support
of this proposal:
Flavored tobacco products are just as addictive and have
the same types of harmful effects as regular tobacco products.
Removing these flavored products from the market is important
because it removes an avenue that young people can use to begin
regular tobacco use. Reynolds American Inc. management says it
does not want to influence young people to use its tobacco
products. The FDA has said that the removal from the market of
tobacco products that contain certain characterizing flavors is
an important step in our Nations efforts to reduce the
burden of illness and death caused by tobacco products. Support
for this resolution will be an important step in ensuring that
this goal can be achieved.
Your Board of Directors recommends a vote AGAINST this
proposal.
RAI and its operating companies strive to operate in a
responsible manner that best balances the desires of our many
stakeholders. Our Guiding Principles and Beliefs (available at
www.reynoldsamerican.com/values.cfm) seek to reflect the
interests of shareholders, consumers, employees, and other
stakeholders.
This proposal would prohibit production of tobacco products with
flavoring added until it can be proven by
independent and evidence-based research that such added flavors
do not contribute to youth initiation of tobacco use. Most
U.S. cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products use
flavorings. The flavorings utilized in our operating
companies tobacco products are legally permitted.
Moreover, the ability to manufacture and market tobacco products
with taste profiles that appeal to adult tobacco consumers is
central to our operating companies businesses.
This proposal should be rejected for several reasons. First,
this proposal is unnecessary. The Family Smoking Prevention and
Tobacco Control Act of 2009 bans the manufacture and sale of
cigarettes that have a characterizing flavor other than tobacco
or menthol and gives the U.S. Food and Drug Administration,
referred to as the FDA, ongoing legal authority over the use of
flavorings in other tobacco products as well. This proposal thus
ignores the fact that the issue of flavorings added to tobacco
products was recently considered by Congress and is currently
subject to ongoing oversight by the FDA. Our operating
companies practices with respect to tobacco flavorings
fully conform to that congressional judgment and agency
oversight.
Second, since most tobacco products contain some flavoring added
to the tobacco, this proposal would affect most of the tobacco
products sold by certain of our operating companies. The
proposal would require those operating companies to stop selling
those tobacco products until an indeterminate future date based
on an indeterminate standard. Thus, this proposal would have an
extreme adverse impact on those operating companies
current business operations and an extraordinary adverse impact
on their future competitive posture resulting from having to
withdraw those products from the marketplace for an unknown
period of time.
Third, this proposal is predicated on an assumption that tobacco
products with flavoring added appeal to
youth a claim for which there is no evidence cited
in the proposal. Importantly, this proposal ignores the fact
that adults consume more than 98% of all tobacco products sold
in the United States.
Finally, the proposal effectively asks RAI to prove a negative
(i.e., that such added flavors do not contribute to youth
initiation of tobacco use) and, given the numerous and
complex factors associated with youth tobacco use, thereby
imposes a standard that is likely impossible to achieve.
Therefore, your Board of Directors urges you to vote AGAINST
this proposal.
83
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Item 8:
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Shareholder
Proposal on Human Rights Protocols for the Company and its
Suppliers
|
Five shareholders have submitted the following proposal, which
will be voted upon at our annual meeting if presented by one of
its proponents:
REYNOLDS
AMERICAN INC
Create Human
Rights Protocols for the Company and Its Suppliers
Whereas, corporations have a responsibility to ensure
their total supply chain is uncorrupted by practices
denying basic human rights for workers, especially corporations
with global sourcing like ours.
Corporations incur a reputational risk when their
suppliers undermine workers basic human rights, including
the right to health (see the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights [25], the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights [Art. 12] and the ILO Convention [155]).
In the USA., while RAI doesnt directly hire farm
workers, it contracts with suppliers who do. When farm workers
are denied their right to organize, basic worker rights are
violated. This abuse is aggravated when they are undocumented.
In the USA, many farm workers believe they will be
fired and lose their income if they get sick or work too slowly.
Green tobacco sickness is an environmental justice issue, part
of the growing concern that poor, minority and medically
underserved populations bear a disproportionate share of
environmental and occupational health risks (Sara A.
Quandt, Ph.D., Science Daily, 02.24.00).
A key problem of tobacco harvesters for RAI is acute
nicotine poisoning, Green Tobacco Sickness (GTS). This occurs
when the skin absorbs nicotine from touching tobacco plants. GTS
threatens 33 million+ tobacco farm workers globally (WHO,
1999 World Bank).
Malawi is a key leaf supplier for RAI products. Besides
being highly susceptible to forms of GTS, countless children are
being forced into slave-like situations to provide leaf for RAI
products.
Despite RAIs statement it has hired
independent monitors to ensure it is not violating
U.S. laws and human rights, its U.S. suppliers
continue to hire undocumented workers. In places like Malawi,
forced child labor persists to the degree that the
U.S. Department of Labor lists Malawis tobacco
production as particularly egregious.
RESOLVED shareholders request Reynolds American Tobacco
Inc Board of Directors to commit itself to create effective
procedures to implement protocols ensuring basic worker rights
consistent with internationally
agreed-upon
human rights conventions in the countries which supply its
tobacco and to find ways to ensure, through truly independent
monitoring, that its varied suppliers are enforcing these
protocols as well as all other pertinent laws of the nations in
which its suppliers operate.
The proponents have submitted the following statement in support
of this proposal:
This resolutions sponsors believe RAI cannot dismiss
the above problems by saying its suppliers
report they comply with codes covering farm
workers basic rights and that no forced child labor takes
place in tobacco fields supplying RAI product. Continual data
shows such problems are not being redressed either here nor
abroad. There must be truly independent verification of the kind
that has not yet been effective for RAI. Because farm workers
continue to make this Company healthy; it has the obligation
to ensure their health.
Support for this proposal will help ensure our profits and
dividends are not being realized by exploiting the
least of our brothers and sisters. Please support it so
good news may come to those who are poor for whom we
bear responsibility as shareholders.
Your Board of Directors recommends a vote AGAINST this
proposal.
84
The Board believes that this shareholder proposal to require RAI
to create human rights protocols for the company and its
suppliers would not be in the best interests of RAI and its
shareholders. This proposal previously has come before
shareholders for their consideration at our 2008, 2009 and 2010
annual meetings. This proposal was defeated by shareholders at
all three meetings, with only 11.13%, 12.99% and 9.77% of the
shares voting at such meetings supporting the proposal.
RAI and its major operating companies are U.S. companies
that conduct business almost exclusively in the United States
and Puerto Rico. Over 99% of the companies total tobacco
sales revenue, excluding contract manufacturing for other
tobacco companies, is generated from the U.S. market.
The United States has an extensive foundation of federal, state
and local laws and regulations that support human rights. In
addition, these laws are enforced by federal and state
regulatory agencies and through direct access to the courts by
individuals. RAI and its operating companies strive to comply
with all laws and regulations; we do not believe it is
appropriate for RAI and its operating companies to assume the
regulatory and enforcement role of the federal, state and local
governments.
Reynolds American and its operating companies further support
human rights considerations as follows:
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The RAI Board has adopted and reaffirmed a Statement on
Our Efforts to Support Human Rights.
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All employees are required to adhere to the RAI Code of Conduct
and certify such on a yearly basis. The Code of Conduct includes
clear expectations relating to employment practices,
relationships with suppliers and customers, adherence to
governmental regulations, and other aspects of how we conduct
our businesses which are supportive of fundamental human rights.
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Each operating company conducts Corporate Social Responsibility,
referred to as CSR, efforts related to its supply chain and
procurement activities intended to reinforce suppliers
respect for human rights.
|
RAIs Statement on Our Efforts to Support Human Rights,
Code of Conduct and annual CSR reports are available for review
on our web site at www.reynoldsamerican.com.
RAIs operating companies continue to incorporate human
rights principles and considerations into supplier programs to
promote continuous improvement in suppliers performance:
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Beginning with the 2011 growing season, all U.S. contract
tobacco growers will be required to participate in a
comprehensive training program being developed and conducted by
the Cooperative Extension Services of major public universities
in tobacco-growing states. Each grower must certify that
he/she has
received this training in 2011 before any tobacco will be
purchased from them by the operating companies this year. The
program will include training on the following topics:
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1)
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State and federal employment regulations on hiring practices,
wages and hours, workers compensation insurance and child
labor provisions.
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2)
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Key seasonal/migrant labor regulations on joint employment, use
of farm labor contractors, adequate housing for migrant and
seasonal workers, and provisions of the Migrant and Seasonal
Agricultural Worker Protection Act.
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3)
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Agricultural safety regulations and practices covering the safe
use of pesticides and herbicides, farm machinery and equipment,
and the prevention of heat stroke and green tobacco sickness.
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4)
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Key record-keeping requirements and best practices related to
the application of pesticides and herbicides, farm safety logs
and agronomic practices.
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RJR Tobacco, pursuant to its service agreement with each
operating company, has worked directly with major public
universities to develop the training program. RJR Tobacco will
also coordinate the provision of this training to contract
tobacco growers.
85
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RJR Tobacco has partnered with the North Carolina Department of
Labor, referred to as NCDOL, and North Carolina State University
over the past several years to produce training videos that have
been distributed to its contract growers and are available to
all tobacco growers in North Carolina. The videos focus on farm
safety practices, safe use of pesticides and prevention of green
tobacco sickness. RJR Tobacco extended this partnership with
NCDOL in 2010 by sponsoring a pilot program of
face-to-face,
on-farm NCDOL training sessions for contract growers and their
workers. RJR Tobacco and NCDOL plan to expand these
on-site farm
safety training sessions in 2011 to reach additional contract
growers and their workers in North Carolina.
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RJR Tobacco continues to provide support for NCDOLs Gold
Star Grower program. This voluntary program involves NCDOL
inspections of farm-worker housing and worker safety conditions
and allows growers to be certified as a Gold Star grower.
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RJR Tobacco, ASC and SFNTC also procure tobacco leaf from
offshore growing regions through the use of tobacco dealers who
purchase and process tobacco leaf from local farmers. RJR
Tobacco contracts with LeafTc Ltd., an independent company also
utilized by most of the major multinational tobacco companies,
to evaluate tobacco dealers on a broad range of leaf-procurement
requirements, which includes the impact these suppliers
activities have on the environment and safety conditions on
local farms.
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Each major operating company of RAI will continue to communicate
their expectations of suppliers to respect fundamental human
rights through supplier guides, during site visits and in
ongoing activities with suppliers. This expectation is further
reinforced in all procurement contracts, which require suppliers
to adhere to all applicable federal, state and local laws and
regulations.
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RJR Tobacco utilizes the Business Enabler Survey Tool (BEST) to
evaluate many suppliers of raw materials other than leaf
tobacco. The survey tool evaluates suppliers on a broad range of
procurement requirements through onsite visits and written
surveys, and includes verifying that the supplier has a
commitment to ensure safe workplace conditions and address other
relevant human rights issues. RJR Tobacco, pursuant to its
service agreement with each operating company, will extend the
use of this survey to key suppliers utilized by ASC and SFNTC
during 2011.
|
RAI and its operating companies continue to identify and act on
appropriate opportunities to encourage improved human rights
conditions in supply chains. RJR Tobacco also continues to seek
feedback and insight into contract growers and their
workers perspectives through on-farm surveys. RAI and its
operating companies continue to believe that the primary
responsibility for ensuring human rights rests with suppliers,
governments and regulators in the appropriate countries and that
it is not appropriate for RAI and its operating companies to
assume the regulatory and enforcement role of these individual
companies and governments.
Therefore, your Board of Directors urges you to vote AGAINST
this proposal.
86
Certain
Relationships and Related Transactions
Related Person
Transaction Policy
Effective February 6, 2007, RAIs Board adopted a
Related Person Transaction Policy, referred to as the Policy.
The Policy generally requires that certain transactions in which
(1) RAI, or one of its subsidiaries, is a participant and
(2) a related person has a direct or indirect interest, be
approved in advance by a designated executive officer, the Audit
Committee, the Board or a
sub-set of
the Board. The arbiter in any particular case may only approve a
proposed related person transaction if it has determined in good
faith that such transaction is in, or not inconsistent with, the
best interests of RAI and its shareholders. The definition of
related person for purposes of the Policy is based
upon the definition set forth in the applicable rules of the
SEC; a related person of RAI means a director or
director nominee of RAI, an executive officer of RAI, a greater
than 5% shareholder of RAI or an immediate family member of any
of the foregoing.
The Policys pre-approval requirements depend upon the
related person and the dollar amount involved in a proposed
transaction, as summarized below:
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Related Person:
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Dollar Amount of Transaction:
|
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Approval Required by:
|
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Transactions in which an RAI director,
executive officer or an immediate family member of either of the
foregoing has an interest
|
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Less than or equal to $25,000
Greater than $25,000
|
|
Chief Executive Officer or
Chief Financial Officer
Audit Committee
|
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Transactions in which BAT, or an affiliate
thereof, has an interest
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Less than $1 million
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Chief Executive Officer,
Chief Financial Officer or General Counsel
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Greater than or equal to $1 million and less than
$20 million
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Audit Committee
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Greater than or equal to $20 million
|
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independent directors (excluding any independent
directors who have been designated by B&W)
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Transactions in which any related person other
than those listed above has an interest
|
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Less than $1 million
|
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Chief Executive Officer or
Chief Financial Officer
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Greater than or equal to $1 million and less than
$20 million
|
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Audit Committee
|
|
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Greater than or equal to $20 million
|
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Board of Directors
|
Under the Policy, any contract in existence on the effective
date of the Policy (February 6, 2007) involving a
related person is not required to be pre-approved under the
Policy; provided, however, that if a material amendment or
modification of any such pre-existing contract is adopted after
February 6, 2007, then such material amendment or
modification shall be subject to the Policys pre-approval
requirements. Further, any compensation, benefit or
indemnification arrangement involving an RAI director, executive
officer or an immediate family member of any of the foregoing,
which arrangement is approved by the RAI Board or another Board
committee, is not required to be pre-approved under the Policy.
The approval requirements of the Policy are in addition to other
measures already in place. For example, under the Governance
Agreement, the independent directors of RAI (excluding any
independent directors who have been designated by B&W) are
required to approve any material contract or transaction
involving RAI or any of its subsidiaries, on the one hand, and
BAT or any of its subsidiaries, on the other hand, if the terms
of that contract or transaction are not governed by either an
agreement existing on the date of the Business Combination or a
provision of the Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws.
87
The full text of the Policy can be found in the
Governance section of our web site at
www.reynoldsamerican.com, or can be requested free of
charge, by writing to the Office of the Secretary, Reynolds
American Inc., P.O. Box 2990, Winston-Salem, North
Carolina
27102-2990.
2010 Related
Person Transactions
RAI paid BAT an aggregate of $426,600 during 2010 in
consideration for the services of Messrs. Daly, Durante and
Withington as directors of RAI. For further information on this
arrangement, see The Board of Directors
Director Compensation Payment for Services of
Certain Board Designees, above.
In connection with the consummation of the Business Combination
on July 30, 2004, RJR Tobacco entered into contract
manufacturing agreements with two subsidiaries of
BAT BATUS Japan, Inc., referred to as BATUSJ, and
B.A.T. (U.K. & Export) Limited, referred to as BATUKE (BAT
and all its subsidiaries, including B&W, BATUSJ and BATUKE,
are referred to as the BAT Group), pursuant to which RJR Tobacco
manufactures certain of BATs
U.S.-sourced
cigarettes and other tobacco products for export outside of the
United States. In May 2010, RJR Tobacco and BATUSJ entered into
a letter agreement terminating their 2004 contract manufacturing
agreement, with effect from midnight on December 31, 2009.
Under the terms of the letter agreement, in consideration of RJR
Tobacco agreeing to terminate the 2004 contract manufacturing
agreement and in settlement of all disputes at issue between the
parties associated with such agreement, BATUSJ paid RJR Tobacco
in 2010 the sum of $20,528,000. In connection with the
termination of their 2004 contract manufacturing agreement, RJR
Tobacco and BATUSJ, also in May 2010, entered into an
American-blend Cigarette Manufacturing Agreement, with an
effective date of January 1, 2010. Under the 2010
agreement, RJR Tobacco has been appointed BATUSJs
exclusive manufacturer of all of BATUSJs requirements for
certain American-blend cigarettes intended to be distributed and
sold in Japan for the five-year period expiring on
December 31, 2014, subject to the early termination and
extension provisions set forth in the agreement. Under the 2004
contract manufacturing agreement with BATUKE, RJR Tobacco was
appointed the exclusive U.S. manufacturer of all
American-blend cigarettes which any BAT Customer, as defined in
the agreement, chooses to manufacture in the United States, its
territories and military installations. RJR Tobaccos
contract manufacturing agreement with BATUKE expires on
December 31, 2014, subject to the agreements early
termination and extension provisions. Sales by RJR Tobacco to
the BAT Group pursuant to the above contract manufacturing
agreements during 2010 were $299,366,000. During 2008, the BAT
Group purchased certain cigarette manufacturing equipment for
use at RJR Tobaccos facility, which RJR Tobacco then
leases from a BAT affiliate. During 2010, RJR Tobacco made lease
payments related to such equipment in the amount of $230,000 to
the BAT affiliate.
Also, during 2010, the BAT Group purchased from Lane, Limited, a
wholly owned subsidiary of RAI referred to as Lane, little
cigars and semi-cut tobacco filler in the amount of $10,379,000.
Lane and a member of the BAT Group are parties to a trademark
license agreement pursuant to which Lane licenses certain
trademarks to such BAT Group member in consideration for the
payment of royalties. Unless earlier terminated in accordance
with the terms thereof, such trademark license agreement will
expire on July 31, 2030. During 2010, Lane recorded
$453,000 in royalties under such trademark license agreement. In
addition, BAT licenses certain trademarks to Lane in
consideration of the payments of royalties. During 2010, Lane
recorded $38,666 in expense related to such royalty payments.
During 2010, the BAT Group purchased tobacco leaf from RJR
Tobacco in the amount of $50,843,000. Also during 2010, the BAT
Group agreed to purchase additional tobacco leaf from RJR
Tobacco in the amount of $53,146,000. In accordance with GAAP,
none of the $53,146,000 (including that portion of the purchase
price that was paid by the BAT Group in 2010) was recorded
as sales in RAIs 2010 financial statements, but will be
recognized as sales when the product is shipped to the BAT
Group. In addition, during 2010, the BAT Group purchased from
RJR Tobacco expanded tobacco and re-constituted tobacco, and
other tobacco products, in the amount of $11,000.
B&W and RAI also entered into a leaf purchase agreement
upon the consummation of the Business Combination. Such
agreement relates to certain leaf purchase commitments of RAI
and its operating
88
subsidiaries (RAI and its operating subsidiaries are referred to
as the RAI Group), commitments B&W had previously agreed to
in connection with the settlement of third-party litigation and
that the RAI Group had assumed pursuant to the Business
Combination. If such leaf commitments exceed certain
manufacturing needs of the RAI Group, then B&W is required
either to make a cash payment to the RAI Group directly based
upon the amount of the excess leaf purchased, or otherwise take
such action so that the RAI Group has no liability for such
excess. During 2010, B&W made no payments to the RAI Group
under the above leaf purchase agreement.
RJR Tobacco and a member of the BAT Group are also parties to a
technology sharing and development services agreement, which was
entered into on July 30, 2004. Pursuant to this agreement,
each party may license or otherwise transfer rights to the other
in its respective technologies, and may pursue joint technology
projects with the other party. Each party or its respective
affiliates also may provide certain contract services to the
other party or its affiliates. Unless earlier terminated as
provided therein, the technology sharing and development
services agreement automatically renews for additional one-year
periods each December 31 unless one of the parties provides a
notice of non-renewal at least 12 months prior to the
December 31 date on which termination is to become effective.
During 2010, the RAI Group billed the BAT Group $3,645,000, and
the BAT Group billed the RAI Group approximately $45,000,
pursuant to such agreement. In 2010, the BAT Group also paid RJR
Tobacco a license fee of $1,000,000 for the use of certain
capsule technology.
The RAI Group also purchases from the BAT Group tobacco leaf and
cigarettes, and pays royalties to the BAT Group relating to the
sale by the RAI Group of certain cigarette brands. The parties
entered into the agreements evidencing such arrangements, which
have various expiration dates, following the consummation of the
Business Combination. During 2010, the RAI Group paid the BAT
Group $12,089,000 pursuant to the foregoing arrangements. In
addition, as of the end of 2010, the RAI Group had $352,000 in
accounts payable to the BAT Group under such arrangements.
In connection with the Business Combination, RJR Tobacco agreed
to indemnify B&W and its affiliates for certain litigation
liabilities, arising out of the U.S. cigarette and tobacco
business of B&W. As a result of this indemnity, RJR Tobacco
has assumed the defense of pending B&W-specific
tobacco-related litigation, has paid the judgments and costs
related to certain pre-Business Combination tobacco-related
litigation of B&W, and has posted bonds on behalf of
B&W, where necessary, in connection with cases decided
since the Business Combination. In 2010, pursuant to this
indemnity, RJR Tobacco recorded $669,000 in expenses for funds
to be reimbursed to BAT for costs and expenses incurred arising
out of tobacco-related litigation.
Each of the RAI Group and the BAT Group has seconded certain of
its employees to the other or a member of such entitys
group of companies in connection with particular assignments.
During their service with the other entity or a member of such
entitys group of companies, the seconded employees
continue to be paid by the original employer and participate in
employee benefit plans sponsored by such employer. Each of the
RAI Group and the BAT Group reimburse members of the other
partys group of companies certain costs of the seconded
employees compensation and benefits during the secondment
period. For 2010, the RAI Group billed the BAT Group $346,000,
and paid the BAT Group $27,000, in connection with such
secondment arrangements.
Lisa J. Caldwell, currently Executive Vice President and Chief
Human Resources Officer of RAI and RAISC, is married to Alan L.
Caldwell, who is currently Director Corporate and
Civic Engagement of RAISC, and previously served in a variety of
positions with RJR Tobacco since joining RJR Tobacco in 1981.
During 2010, Mr. Caldwell earned approximately $211,226 in
salary and bonus, and vested in LTIP awards valued at
approximately $90,444.
During her tenure on the Board during 2010, Ms. Atkins was
a member of the board of directors of Towers Watson &
Co. Towers Watson historically provided actuarial and consulting
services to RAI and its operating companies, as well as certain
employee benefit plans they sponsor, and continued to provide
such services in 2010. The provision of such services by Towers
Watson during Ms. Atkins tenure on the Board was subject to
pre-approval in accordance with the Policy.
89
Other
The Board is not aware of any matters to be presented for action
at the 2011 annual meeting other than those described herein and
does not intend to bring any other matters before the annual
meeting. However, if other matters shall come before the 2011
annual meeting, it is intended that the holders of proxies
solicited hereby will vote thereon in their discretion.
By Order of the Board of Directors,
McDara P. Folan, III
Secretary
Dated: March , 2011
90
REYNOLDS AMERICAN INC.
401 NORTH MAIN STREET
WINSTON-SALEM, NC 27101
You have the option to submit your proxy by the
Internet, telephone or mail. Your vote does not count
until we receive it.
VOTE BY INTERNET - www.proxyvote.com
Use the
Internet to transmit your voting instructions and for electronic
delivery of information up until 11:59 P.M. Eastern Time on May 5, 2011 (May
1, 2011 for Savings Plan or SIP participants). Have
your proxy card in hand when you access the web site
and follow the instructions to obtain your records
and to create an electronic voting instruction form.
ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OF FUTURE SHAREHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS
If you would like to reduce the costs incurred by
Reynolds American Inc. in mailing proxy materials,
you can consent to receiving all future proxy
statements, proxy cards and annual reports
electronically via e-mail or the Internet. To sign up
for electronic delivery, please follow the
instructions above to vote using the Internet and,
when prompted, indicate that you agree to receive or
access shareholder communications electronically in
future years.
VOTE BY PHONE 1-800-690-6903
Use any touch-tone telephone to transmit your voting
instructions up until 11:59 P.M. Eastern Time on May
5, 2011 (May 1, 2011 for Savings Plan or SIP
participants). Have your proxy card in hand when you
call and follow the simple instructions provided to
you.
VOTE BY MAIL
Mark, sign and date your proxy card and return it in
the postage-paid envelope we have provided or return
it to Reynolds American Inc., c/o Broadridge, 51
Mercedes Way, Edgewood, NY 11717.
Your telephone or
Internet vote authorizes the named proxies to vote
the shares in the same manner as if you marked,
signed and returned the proxy card.
If you vote by telephone or Internet, do not mail back the proxy card.
TO VOTE, MARK BLOCKS BELOW IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS FOLLOWS:
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M31086-P08498-Z54937
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KEEP THIS PORTION FOR YOUR RECORDS |
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THIS PROXY CARD IS VALID ONLY WHEN SIGNED AND DATED.
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DETACH AND RETURN THIS PORTION ONLY |
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REYNOLDS AMERICAN INC. |
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Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR: |
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Election of Directors
Nominees For Class I:
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01) Luc Jobin |
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02) Nana Mensah |
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03) John J. Zillmer |
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Nominee For Class II: |
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04) John P. Daly |
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Nominee For Class III: |
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05) Daniel M. Delen |
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Advisory Vote on the Compensation of Named
Executive Officers |
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The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR a frequency of 1 YEAR: |
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Advisory Vote Regarding Frequency of
Future Advisory Votes on the Compensation
of Named Executive Officers
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For address changes and/or comments, please check this box and write them on
the back where indicated. |
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Note: Please make sure that you complete, sign and
date your proxy card. Please sign exactly as your
name(s) appear(s) on the account. When signing as a
fiduciary, please give your full title as such. Each
joint owner should sign personally. Corporate proxies
should be signed in full corporate name by an
authorized officer.
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To withhold authority to vote for any individual |
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nominee(s),
mark For All Except and write
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number(s) of the nominee(s)
on the line below. |
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The Board of Directors
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Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation
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Ratification of the Appointment of KPMG LLP as
Independent Auditors
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The Board of Directors
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Shareholder Proposal on Elimination of Classified Board
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Shareholder Proposal on Human Rights Protocols for
the Company and its Suppliers
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Shares for which an executed proxy is received, but no
instruction is given, will be voted by the proxies FOR
Items 1, 2, 4 and 5; FOR a frequency of 1 YEAR on Item 3;
and AGAINST Items 6, 7 and 8; and by Fidelity, as Trustee
under the Savings Plan, and FESC, as Custodian under the
SIP, in the same proportion as the shares for which
instructions are received by Fidelity and FESC,
respectively.
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Signature
[PLEASE SIGN WITHIN BOX] |
Date |
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Signature (Joint
Owners) |
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YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT!
Please complete, sign and date your proxy card and return this proxy card in the enclosed envelope
or vote by telephone or Internet
as soon as possible!
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To: |
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Shareholders of Reynolds American Inc.
Participants in the RAI 401k Savings Plan
Participants in the Puerto Rico Savings & Investment Plan |
Shares of common stock of Reynolds American Inc. will be voted as you direct if this card is
completed by you and received by Broadridge on or before May 5, 2011 (May 1, 2011 for Savings Plan
or SIP participants). Broadridge is responsible for tabulating the returns.
If you have any questions or need assistance in voting the shares, please contact:
Reynolds American Inc.
Shareholder Services
401 North Main Street
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
(866) 210-9976 (toll-free)
Important Notice Regarding Internet Availability of Proxy Materials for the Annual Meeting:
The Notice and Proxy Statement, Form 10-K and Shareholder Letter are available at www.proxyvote.com.
6 DETACH PROXY CARD HERE IF YOU ARE NOT VOTING BY TELEPHONE OR INTERNET 6
M31087-P08498-Z54937
REYNOLDS AMERICAN INC.
PROXY
This proxy is solicited on behalf of the Board of Directors
for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on May 6, 2011.
The undersigned shareholder of Reynolds American Inc. hereby appoints Daniel M. Delen, McDara P.
Folan, III and Constantine (Dean) E. Tsipis, and each of them (with full power of substitution and
resubstitution), as proxies of the undersigned, to vote all shares of the common stock of Reynolds
American Inc. that the undersigned may be entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to
be held on May 6, 2011 at 9:00 a.m. (Eastern Time) in the Reynolds American Plaza Building
Auditorium, 401 North Main Street, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and at any adjournments or
postponements thereof, as designated on the reverse side of this proxy card, and in their
discretion, the proxies are authorized to vote upon such other business as may properly come before
the Annual Meeting and any adjournments or postponements thereof.
The undersigned also provides instructions to Fidelity Management Trust Company (Fidelity), as
Trustee under the RAI 401k Savings Plan (the Savings Plan), and to Fidelity Employer Services
Company LLC (FESC), as Custodian under the Puerto Rico Savings & Investment Plan (the SIP), to
vote shares of the common stock of Reynolds American Inc. allocated, respectively, to accounts of
the undersigned under the Savings Plan or the SIP, and which are entitled to be voted at the Annual
Meeting, and at any adjournments or postponements thereof, as designated on the reverse side of
this
proxy card, and to vote all such shares on such other business as may properly come before the
Annual Meeting and any adjournments or postponements thereof.
Address Changes/Comments:
(If you have written in the above space, please mark the corresponding box on the reverse side of this card.)
Continued and to be signed and dated on reverse side