1)
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Title
of each class of securities to which transaction
applies:
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2)
|
Aggregate
number of securities to which transaction
applies:
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3)
|
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):
|
4)
|
Proposed
maximum aggregate value of
transaction:
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5)
|
Total
fee paid:
|
1)
|
Amount
Previously Paid:
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2)
|
Form,
Schedule or Registration Statement
No.:
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3)
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Filing
Party:
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4)
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Date
Filed:
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Gyrodyne
Company of America, Inc.,
Plaintiff,
-against-
Full
Value Partners L.P., Bulldog Investors General
Partnership,
Phillip Goldstein, Andrew Dakos and
Timothy
Brog,
Defendants.
|
No.
|
Dated:
|
November
21, 2007
|
Respectfully
Submitted,
|
By:
__________________________________________
Attorneys
for Plaintiff Gyrodyne Company of America, Inc.
Martin
L. Seidel (MS-9459)
martin.seidel@cwt.com
CADWALADER,
WICKERSHAM & TAFT LLP
One
World Financial Center
New
York, New York 10281
Tel:
(212) 504-6000
Fax:
(212) 504-6666
|
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, DC 20549 SCHEDULE 14A Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Filed by the Registrant [] Filed by a Party other than the Registrant [X] Check the appropriate box: [ ] Preliminary Proxy Statement [ ] Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) [x] Definitive Proxy Statement [ ] Definitive Additional Materials [ ] Soliciting Material Pursuant to ss.240.14a-12 GYRODYNE COMPANY OF AMERICA, INC. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter) FULL VALUE PARTNERS L.P. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant) Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box): [x] No fee required. [ ] Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11. 1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) 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): ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) Total fee paid: -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
[ ] Fee paid previously with preliminary materials. [ ] Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing. 1) Amount Previously Paid: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) Filing Party: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) Date Filed: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Full Value Partners L.P. Park 80 West - Plaza Two, Suite C04 Saddle Brook, NJ 07663 Phone: 201-556-0092 Fax: 201-556-0097 adakos@bulldoginvestors.com November 14, 2006 Dear Fellow Gyrodyne Shareholder: Full Value Partners is a member of a group that owns more than 17% of the shares of Gyrodyne and is its largest shareholder. We are writing to you because the board has failed to keep its promises to shareholders. Instead of moving to maximize shareholder value as it promised, management is apparently primarily concerned with retaining its jobs and perks. There is no need to go into a lot of detail about management's failings. Just consider the following facts. At last year's annual meeting held on December 9, 2005, CEO Stephen Maroney described management's goals this way: Simply put, our corporate objective is to position the Company so that it is best able to achieve what Wall Street calls one or more shareholder liquidity events in a
reasonable period of time that allows shareholders to realize maximum value for their investment in the Company. A liquidity event may be defined as a sale of the Company, a merger or other business combination, sale of assets followed by a distribution of proceeds or other value- realizing transaction. Our objective is to put the maximum amount of cash or marketable securities in the hands of our shareholders in a tax efficient manner. . . . After not hearing about any progress toward this goal and with Gyrodyne's stock price languishing below $45 per share, on April 17, 2006 we offered to pay $48.00 per share for all shares of Gyrodyne and indicated a willingness to increase our offer price after conducting due diligence. Without any negotiations, the board rejected our offer outright and on May 2, 2006 Gyrodyne issued an announcement in which Mr. Maroney stated: Our Board of Directors considered the offer carefully in consultation with our financial and legal advisors and concluded that Gyrodyne's prospects are substantially better than are reflected in the . . . offer. We believe that the pursuit of just compensation in the Court of Claims, together with the progress being made with the other components of our corporate strategy will enable Gyrodyne to achieve one or more shareholder liquidity events in a reasonable period of time and gives Gyrodyne a better chance to maximize value for our shareholders. On October 19, 2006, Mr. Maroney changed his tune as he proudly announced that Gyrodyne had agreed to acquire ten buildings in the Port Jefferson Professional Park in Port Jefferson Station, New York, stating: This acquisition . . . fits perfectly within the investment strategy of Gyrodyne and our management team is well suited to manage this property. We're enthusiastic about our first acquisition of property since announcing our strategy last year to convert to a REIT, which is scheduled to be effective as of May 1, 2006, the beginning of our current fiscal year. Clearly, using Gyrodyne's cash to acquire property is completely contrary to a "corporate strategy [to] enable Gyrodyne to achieve one or more shareholder liquidity events in a reasonable period of time." In short, Mr. Maroney and the rest of the board have betrayed the shareholders. That is why we believe it is time for a change at the top. To that end, we are proposing three nominees for the board of directors. You can be sure that our nominees will not tolerate any more stalling. They will have only one goal - to maximize shareholder value! We are also proposing that Gyrodyne eliminate its poison pill because it is a deterrent to achieving that goal. If you care about your investment in Gyrodyne and you share our goal of maximizing shareholder value, please vote your proxy
online at WWW.PROXYVOTE.COM or by telephone at 1-800-454-8683. Alternatively, you can mail the GREEN proxy card in the enclosed envelope but please do it today so we can get started on doing what it takes to achieve a much higher stock price for shareholders. Very truly yours, Andrew Dakos Managing Member Full Value Advisors LLC General Partner Top Gyrodyne investor blasts management By Jeremy Harrell Friday, November 10, 2006 Gyrodyne's biggest shareholder is mad as hell, and it's not going to take it anymore. Six months after Gyrodyne Co. of America Inc. rebuffed a takeover bid by Opportunity Partners LLP, the hedge fund's principals have demanded three seats on Gyrodyne's board of directors and called for a dissolution of the company's poison pill. Gyrodyne's annual shareholder meeting takes place next month. "We've been dissed long enough," said Phillip Goldstein, a general partner of Opportunity Partners, an entity linked to New Jersey-based Full Value Partners, which owns more than 17 percent of Gyrodyne stock. "Frankly, I don't know what management does all day." St. James-based Gyrodyne once made drone helicopters but now functions primarily as a real estate company. A large chunk of its most significant holding was recently seized through eminent domain by Stony Brook University, and Gyrodyne is seeking greater compensation from the state government for the land. In the last year, Gyrodyne's management has put the company on the path toward becoming a real estate investment trust. In October, Gyrodyne announced a plan to buy several medical office buildings in Port Jefferson and added a new director with greater experience in real estate. Goldstein said he and his partners don't necessarily oppose Gyrodyne's corporate repositioning, but he said the company's current management is ill-equipped to run a real estate firm. Opportunity Partners made its demands known through a Securities and Exchange Commission filing on Tuesday. "It's not just where it's heading, but who's heading it," Goldstein said of Gyrodyne. "They need an experienced real estate operator. All they're doing is endorsing rent checks and depositing them in the bank." Gyrodyne, in a statement, said the Port Jefferson acquisition is "consistent with Gyrodyne's REIT conversion strategy." In May, Gyrodyne turned down a $48-per-share tender offer from Opportunity Partners, saying the bid undervalued the company. Since then, however, Gyrodyne's lightly traded stock has hovered below $48, changing hands on Wednesday morning at $45.99.
In rejecting the buyout, Gyrodyne's chief executive also promised unspecified "shareholder liquidity events" in the near future. Goldstein said those liquidity events have never materialized, and instead of divesting all or parts of the company, Gyrodyne has expanded the board and bought more property. "They don't look like they're trying to provide liquidity," Goldstein said. "I think they're trying to milk this thing." In its statement, Gyrodyne said its recent acquisition would "further enhance" a liquidity strategy and unlock greater shareholder value, and declined to say more until it files a normal response. Goldstein also chided Gyrodyne's management for issuing stock options, insisting that options are designed to reward executives at the helm of dynamic companies. Gyrodyne, meanwhile, rarely exceeds a daily trading volume of 1,000 shares and, except for a brief spike when Opportunity Partners made its buyout offer, Gyrodyne's stock price has budged barely 1 percent since November 2005, according to Goldstein. "We've asked them for a board seat for some time, but they jerked us around," he said. "I'm tired of this." 2006 Long Island Business News PROXY STATEMENT OF FULL VALUE PARTNERS L.P., A STOCKHOLDER OF GYRODYNE COMPANY OF AMERICA, INC. ("Gyrodyne") IN OPPOSITION TO THE SOLICITATION BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS (To be held on December 7, 2006) Full Value Partners L.P., a stockholder of Gyrodyne, is sending this proxy statement and the enclosed GREEN proxy card to shareholders of record as of October 30, 2006 (the "Record Date") of Gyrodyne. We are soliciting a proxy to vote your shares at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the "Meeting"). Please refer to Gyrodyne's proxy soliciting material for additional information concerning the Meeting and the matters to be considered by shareholders including the election of directors. This proxy statement and the enclosed GREEN proxy card are first being sent to shareholders on or about November 16, 2006. INTRODUCTION There are two matters that the board has scheduled to be voted upon at the Meeting: (1) to elect three Directors; and (2) to ratify Holtz Rubenstein Reminick LLP as auditors for the Fiscal Year ending April 30, 2007. In addition, we intend to submit a non-binding proposal to dismantle Gyrodyne's poison pill. We are soliciting a proxy to vote your shares FOR the election of our nominees as directors and FOR each of the above proposals. How Proxies Will Be Voted If you wish to vote FOR the election of our nominees and/or to vote on any of the above proposals, you may do so by completing and returning a GREEN proxy card to us or to our agent. Unless
you direct otherwise, your shares will be voted FOR the election of our nominees, FOR the ratification of Holtz Rubenstein Reminick LLP as auditors and FOR our proposal to dismantle Gyrodyne's poison pill. In addition, you will be granting the proxy holder(s) discretionary authority to vote on any other matters that may come before the Meeting including matters relating to the conduct of the Meeting. Voting Requirements The presence in person or by proxy of more than 50% of Gyrodyne's outstanding shares shall constitute a quorum. Directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast. The other proposals will be decided by a majority of the votes cast. Abstentions will have no effect on the outcome of either proposal. Revocation of Proxies You may revoke any proxy prior to its exercise by: (i) delivering a written revocation to us; (ii) executing and delivering a later dated proxy; or (iii) voting in person at the Meeting. Attendance at the Meeting will not in and of itself revoke a proxy. There is no limit on the number of times you may revoke your proxy before it is exercised. Only your latest dated proxy will be counted. PROPOSAL 1: ELECTION OF DIRECTORS At the Meeting, we intend to nominate the following persons for election as directors. Each nominee has consented to being named in this proxy statement and to serve as a director if elected. Unless noted, none of our nominees personally owns shares or has any arrangement or understanding with any person with respect to any future employment by Gyrodyne. Please refer to Gyrodyne's proxy soliciting material for additional information concerning the election of directors. Phillip Goldstein (born 1945); 60 Heritage Drive, Pleasantville, NY 10570 - Mr. Goldstein is an investment advisor and a principal of the general partner of three investment partnerships in the Bulldog Investors group of funds: Opportunity Partners L.P., Opportunity Income Plus Fund L.P., and Full Value Partners L.P. He has been a director of the Mexico Income and Equity Fund since 2000, Brantley Capital Corporation since 2001, the Emerging Markets Telecommunications Fund since 2005 and the First Israel Fund since 2005. Timothy Brog (born 1964); Timothy Brog has been the President of Pembridge Capital Management LLC and the Portfolio Manager of Pembridge Value Opportunity Fund since 2004. Mr. Brog has been a Managing Director of The Edward Andrews Group Inc., a boutique investment bank since 1996. From 1989 to 1995, Mr. Brog was a corporate finance and mergers and acquisition associate of the law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. Mr. Brog is a director of The Topps Company, Inc. Mr. Brog received a Juris Doctorate from Fordham University School of Law in 1989 and a BA from Tufts University in 1986.
Andrew Dakos (born 1966); Park 80 West, Plaza Two, Suite C04, Saddle Brook, NJ 07663 - Mr. Dakos is a self-employed investment advisor and a principal of the general partner of three investment partnerships in the Bulldog Investors group of funds: Opportunity Partners L.P., Opportunity Income Plus Fund L.P., and Full Value Partners L.P. and President of Elmhurst Capital, Inc. an investment advisory firm. He has been a director of the Mexico Income and Equity Fund since 2001. Mr. Goldstein and his wife jointly beneficially own 3,200 shares and Mr. Dakos beneficially owns 100 shares of Gyrodyne. Mr. Goldstein and Mr. Dakos are managing members of Full Value Advisors LLC, the General Partner of Full Value Partners. Inclusive of the foregoing, Mr. Goldstein and Mr. Dakos are principals of the General Partner of various limited partnerships that beneficially own a total of 141,819 shares of Gyrodyne. In aggregate, Mr. Goldstein and Mr. Dakos are deemed to beneficially own 217,681 shares of GYRO or 17.58% of the outstanding shares. Mr. Brog does not own any shares of Gyrodyne. Each of our nominees has consented to be named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serve as a director if elected. There are no arrangements or understandings between Full Value Partners and any of the above nominees or any other person(s) in connection with the nominations. PROPOSAL 2: RATIFICATION OF SELECTION OF AUDITORS Unless instructions to the contrary are given, your proxy will be voted to ratify the selection of Holtz Rubenstein Reminick LLP as auditors for the Fiscal Year ending April 30, 2007. PROPOSAL 3: A PROPOSAL TO DISMANTLE THE COMPANY'S PILL Gyrodyne's board of directors has adopted a poison pill whose purpose is to prevent shareholders from accepting a premium offer for their shares unless the board approves it. We do not believe the board should have a veto over the shareholders if they determine that they wish to accept such an offer. Therefore, we intend to introduce a non-binding proposal that Gyrodyne dismantle its poison pill. There is no certainty that the board will implement this proposal if it is approved. In the absence of contrary instructions, the proxies will vote your shares FOR this proposal. THE SOLICITATION Persons affiliated with or employed by us or our affiliates may assist us in the solicitation of proxies. Banks, brokerage houses and other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries will be requested to forward this proxy statement and the enclosed GREEN proxy card to the beneficial owners of common shares for whom they hold shares of record. We will reimburse these organizations for their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses. Initially, we will bear all of the expenses related to this proxy solicitation. Because we believe that all shareholders will benefit from this solicitation, we intend to seek reimbursement of our expenses from Gyrodyne. Shareholders will not be asked to vote on the reimbursement of our solicitation
expenses which we estimate to be approximately $10,000. There is no arrangement or understanding involving us or any of our affiliates relating to future employment by or any future transaction with Gyrodyne. Other than as set forth in this Proxy Statement, there are no contracts, arrangements, or understandings entered into by any of the participants in the solicitation or, to the participants' knowledge, any of their associates within the past year with any person with respect to any of Gyrodyne's securities, including, but not limited to, joint ventures, loan or option arrangements, puts or calls, guarantees against loss or guarantees of profit, division or losses or profits, of the giving or withholding of proxies. Except as set forth in the Proxy Statement, none of the participants in the solicitation or, to the participants' knowledge, any of their associates has entered into any agreement or understanding with any person with respect to: (i) any future employment by Gyrodyne or its affiliates; or (ii) any future transactions to which Gyrodyne or any of its affiliates will or may be a party. Full Value Partners L.P. is the soliciting stockholder and owns 96,559 shares of Gyrodyne, of which 87,707 have been purchased within the past two years. As indicated above, two of our nominees are affiliated with Full Value Partners L.P. November 14, 2006 PROXY CARD Proxy Solicited in Opposition to the Board of Directors of Gyrodyne Company of America, Inc. ("Gyrodyne") by Full Value Partners L.P. for the 2006 Annual Meeting of Shareholders The undersigned hereby appoints Phillip Goldstein, Rajeev Das, and Andrew Dakos, and each of them, as the undersigned's proxies, with full power of substitution, to attend the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of Gyrodyne and any adjourned or postponed Meeting, and to vote on all matters that come before either meeting the number of shares that the undersigned would be entitled to vote if present in person, as specified below. (INSTRUCTIONS: Mark votes by placing an "x" in the appropriate [ ].) 1. ELECTION OF THREE DIRECTORS [ ] FOR TIMOTHY BROG [ ] WITHHOLD AUTHORITY [ ] FOR PHILLIP GOLDSTEIN [ ] WITHHOLD AUTHORITY [ ] FOR ANDREW DAKOS [ ] WITHHOLD AUTHORITY 2: RATIFICATION OF THE SELECTION OF HOLTZ RUBENSTEIN REMINICK LLP AS AUDITORS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING APRIL 30, 2007. FOR [ ]AGAINST [ ]ABSTAIN [ ]
3. A PROPOSAL TO DISMANTLE THE COMPANY'S POISON PILL FOR [ ]AGAINST [ ]ABSTAIN [ ] Please sign and date below. Your shares will be voted as directed. If no direction is made, this proxy will be voted FOR the election of the nominees named above and FOR Proposals 2 and 3. The undersigned hereby acknowledges receipt of the proxy statement dated November 14, 2006 of Full Value Partners L.P. and revokes any proxy previously executed. Signature(s)_______________ Dated: ______________
Re:
|
Gyrodyne Company of America,
Inc.
|
1.
|
Given
that the proxy statement is being disseminated with the
expectation of
soliciting proxies to support a slate of directors in
opposition to the
slate proposed by management, the proxy statement did
not qualify under
Rule 14a-6 for the exclusion from filing in preliminary
form. Because a
preliminary proxy statement was not first filed,
the
|
2.
|
Gyrodyne
sent a letter dated November 15 to Full Value notifying
it of its failure
to comply with the Company's advance notice requirements.
Revise to
disclose, if true, that Full Value received such notification
from
Gyrodyne and that Gyrodyne intends to rule any of Full
Value's proposals
out of order at the annual meeting. In addition, please
disclose to
security holders that any proxies delivered to the proxy
holders
identified on the proxy card, Phillip Goldstein, Rajeev
Das and Andrew
Dakos, are accordingly at risk of not being
counted.
|
3.
|
Please
be advised that all of the disclosure required by Item
4(b) and Item 5(b)
of Schedule 14A is required in contested solicitations
of directors.
Please revise the proxy statement to clearly identify
all participants and
include the corresponding disclosure required for all
participants in the
solicitation. All director nominees, for example, fall
squarely within the
scope of the definition of "participant" set forth in
Instruction 3(a) to
Item 4 of Schedule 14A. The dates of securities transactions,
for example,
have not been disclosed.
|
4.
|
Revise
the cover page of Schedule 14A to identify every participant
in the
solicitation as a person tiling the proxy statement.
At present, only Full
Value Partners L.P. has been identified as the only person
filing the
proxy statement.
|
5.
|
The
proxy statement does not appear to have been prepared
in accordance with
the item requirements in Schedule 14A. For example, the
proxy statement
should be amended to include the disclosures required
by Items 1, 2, 3,
4(b), 5(b), 6, 19, 20, and 21. The proxy statement accordingly
has been
disseminated with material omission. Please revise the
proxy statement and
distribute a supplement to security holders that contains
the missing
information.
|
6.
|
Please
file an amended Schedule 13D to clearly indicate, if
true, that the
clients referenced in this filing are indeed members
of the group.
Alternatively, explain how the clients can retain dispositive
power of the
securities yet not be considered members of the
group..
|
7.
|
Please
describe the nature of the agreement between the members
of the group as
required by Item 6 of Schedule 13D. Expressly state whether
or not the
agreement is oral or written. In addition, advise us
of all of the names
of the persons and entities that could be considered
members of the
group.
|
8.
|
Please
obtain the signatures on the amended Schedule 13D of
all of the members of
the group. At present, a signature for Bulldog Investors
is
missing.
|
9.
|
Please
revise to include the individual beneficial ownership
totals of each
member of the group. In addition, please ensure that
your responses to all
disclosure items follow the item requirements provided
on the Schedule 13D
publicly available on our website, www.sec.gov.
|
·
|
The
participant is responsible for the adequacy and accuracy
of the disclosure
in the filings;
|
·
|
staff
comments or changes to disclosure in response to staff
comments do not
foreclose the Commission from taking any action with
respect to the
filing; and
|
·
|
The
participant may not assert staff comments as a defense
in any proceeding
initiated by the Commission or any person under the federal
securities
laws of the United States.
|
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, DC 20549 SCHEDULE 14A Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Filed by the Registrant [] Filed by a Party other than the Registrant [X] Check the appropriate box: [x] Preliminary Proxy Statement [ ] Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) [ ] Definitive Proxy Statement [ ] Definitive Additional Materials [ ] Soliciting Material Pursuant to ss.240.14a-12 GYRODYNE COMPANY OF AMERICA, INC. ---------------------------------------------------------------- (Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter) FULL VALUE PARTNERS L.P. ---------------------------------------------------------------- (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant) Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box): [x] No fee required. [ ] Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a- 6(i)(1) and 0-11. 1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies: ---------------------------------------------------------------- 2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies: ---------------------------------------------------------------- 3) 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): ----------------------------------------------------------- 4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:
---------------------------------------------------------------- 5) Total fee paid: --------------------------------------------------------------- <PAGE> [ ] Fee paid previously with preliminary materials. [ ] Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing. 1) Amount Previously Paid: ---------------------------------------------------------------- 2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.: ---------------------------------------------------------------- 3) Filing Party: ---------------------------------------------------------------- 4) Date Filed: ---------------------------------------------------------------- PROXY STATEMENT OF FULL VALUE PARTNERS L.P., A STOCKHOLDER OF GYRODYNE COMPANY OF AMERICA, INC. ("Gyrodyne") IN OPPOSITION TO THE SOLICITATION BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT THE 2007 ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS (To be held on December --, 2007) Full Value Partners L.P., a stockholder of Gyrodyne, is sending this proxy statement and the enclosed GREEN proxy card to shareholders of record as of October --, 2007 (the "Record Date") of Gyrodyne. We are soliciting a proxy to vote your shares at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the "Meeting"). Please refer to Gyrodyne's proxy soliciting material for additional information concerning the Meeting and the matters to be considered by shareholders including the election of directors. This proxy statement and the enclosed GREEN proxy card are first being sent to shareholders on or about November - -, 2007.
INTRODUCTION There are two matters that the board has scheduled to be voted upon at the Meeting: (1) to elect three Directors; and (2) to ratify Holtz Rubenstein Reminick LLP as auditors for the Fiscal Year ending December 31, 2007. In addition, we intend to submit a non-binding proposal to dismantle Gyrodyne's poison pill. We are soliciting a proxy to vote your shares FOR the election of our nominees as directors and FOR each of the above proposals. How Proxies Will Be Voted If you wish to vote FOR the election of our nominees and/or to vote on any of the above proposals, you may do so by completing and returning a GREEN proxy card to us or to our agent. Unless you direct otherwise, your shares will be voted FOR the election of our nominees, FOR the ratification of Holtz Rubenstein Reminick LLP as auditors and FOR our proposal to dismantle Gyrodyne's poison pill. In addition, you will be granting the proxy holder(s) discretionary authority to vote on any other matters that may come before the Meeting including matters relating to the conduct of the Meeting. Voting Requirements The presence in person or by proxy of more than 50% of Gyrodyne's outstanding shares shall constitute a quorum. Directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast. The other proposals will be decided by a majority of the votes cast. Abstentions will have no effect on the outcome of either proposal. Revocation of Proxies You may revoke any proxy prior to its exercise by: (i) delivering a written revocation to us; (ii) executing and delivering a later dated proxy; or (iii) voting in person at the Meeting. Attendance at the Meeting will not in and of itself revoke a proxy. There is no limit on the number of times you may revoke your proxy before it is exercised. Only your latest dated proxy will be counted. PROPOSAL 1: ELECTION OF DIRECTORS At the Meeting, we intend to nominate the following persons for election as directors. Each nominee has consented to being named in this proxy statement and to serve as a director if elected. Unless noted, none of our nominees personally owns shares or has any arrangement or understanding with any person with respect to any future employment by Gyrodyne. Please refer to Gyrodyne's proxy soliciting material for additional information concerning the election of directors. Phillip Goldstein (born 1945); 60 Heritage Drive, Pleasantville, NY 10570 - Mr. Goldstein is an investment advisor and a principal of the general partner of three investment partnerships in the Bulldog Investors group of funds: Opportunity Partners L.P., Opportunity Income Plus Fund L.P., and Full Value Partners L.P. He has been a
director of the Mexico Equity and Income Fund since 2000 and Brantley Capital Corporation since 2001. Timothy Brog (born 1964); Mr. Brog has been the Managing Director of Locksmith Capital Management LLC since September 2007. Prior to that, Mr. Brog had been the President of Pembridge Capital Management LLC and the Portfolio Manager of Pembridge Value Opportunity Fund since 2004. Mr. Brog had been a Managing Director of The Edward Andrews Group Inc., a boutique investment bank from 1996 to 2004. From 1989 to 1995, Mr. Brog was a corporate finance and mergers and acquisition associate of the law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. Mr. Brog is a director of The Topps Company, Inc. and Peerless Systems Corporation. Mr. Brog received a Juris Doctorate from Fordham University School of Law in 1989 and a BA from Tufts University in 1986. Andrew Dakos (born 1966); Park 80 West, Plaza Two, Suite 750, Saddle Brook, NJ 07663 - Mr. Dakos is a self-employed investment advisor and a principal of the general partner of five investment partnerships in the Bulldog Investors group of funds: Opportunity Partners L.P., Opportunity Income Plus Fund L.P., Full Value Partners L.P., Full Value Special Situations Fund L.P., and Full Value Offshore L.P. He has been a director of the Mexico Equity and Income Fund since 2001 and Brantley Capital Corporation since 2007. Mr. Goldstein and his wife jointly beneficially own 3,200 shares and Mr. Dakos beneficially owns 100 shares of Gyrodyne. Mr. Goldstein and Mr. Dakos are managing members of Full Value Advisors LLC, the General Partner of Full Value Partners. Inclusive of the foregoing, Mr. Goldstein and Mr. Dakos are principals of the General Partner of various limited partnerships that beneficially own a total of 160,204 shares of Gyrodyne. In aggregate, Mr. Goldstein and Mr. Dakos are deemed to beneficially own --------- shares of GYRO or -------% of the outstanding shares. Each of our nominees has consented to be named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serve as a director if elected. There are no arrangements or understandings between Full Value Partners and any of the above nominees or any other person(s) in connection with the nominations. PROPOSAL 2: RATIFICATION OF SELECTION OF AUDITORS Unless instructions to the contrary are given, your proxy will be voted to ratify the selection of Holtz Rubenstein Reminick LLP as auditors for the Fiscal Year ending April 30, 2007. PROPOSAL 3: A PROPOSAL TO DISMANTLE THE COMPANY'S PILL Gyrodyne has a poison pill whose purpose is to prevent shareholders from accepting a premium offer for their shares unless the board approves it. We do not believe the board should have such a veto. Therefore, we intend to introduce a non-binding proposal that Gyrodyne dismantle its poison pill. There is no certainty that the board will implement this proposal if it is approved. In the absence of contrary instructions, the proxies will vote your shares FOR this
proposal. THE SOLICITATION Persons affiliated with or employed by us or our affiliates may assist us in the solicitation of proxies. Banks, brokerage houses and other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries will be requested to forward this proxy statement and the enclosed GREEN proxy card to the beneficial owners of common shares for whom they hold shares of record. We will reimburse these organizations for their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses. Initially, we will bear all of the expenses related to this proxy solicitation. Because we believe that all shareholders will benefit from this solicitation, we intend to seek reimbursement of our expenses from Gyrodyne. Shareholders will not be asked to vote on the reimbursement of our solicitation expenses which we estimate to be approximately $20,000. There is no arrangement or understanding involving us or any of our affiliates relating to future employment by or any future transaction with Gyrodyne. Other than as set forth in this Proxy Statement, there are no contracts, arrangements, or understandings entered into by any of the participants in the solicitation or, to the participants? knowledge, any of their associates within the past year with any person with respect to any of Gyrodyne?s securities, including, but not limited to, joint ventures, loan or option arrangements, puts or calls, guarantees against loss or guarantees of profit, division or losses or profits, of the giving or withholding of proxies. Except as set forth in the Proxy Statement, none of the participants in the solicitation or, to the participants? knowledge, any of their associates has entered into any agreement or understanding with any person with respect to: (i) any future employment by Gyrodyne or its affiliates; or (ii) any future transactions to which Gyrodyne or any of its affiliates will or may be a party. Full Value Partners L.P. is the soliciting stockholder and owns 100,144 shares of Gyrodyne, of which ----- have been purchased within the past two years. As indicated above, two of our nominees are affiliated with Full Value Partners L.P. November --, 2007 PROXY CARD Proxy Solicited in Opposition to the Board of Directors of Gyrodyne Company of America, Inc. (?Gyrodyne?) by Full Value Partners L.P. for the 2007 Annual Meeting of Shareholders The undersigned hereby appoints Phillip Goldstein, Rajeev Das, and Andrew Dakos, and each of them, as the undersigned?s proxies, with full power of substitution, to attend the Annual
Meeting of Shareholders of Gyrodyne and any adjourned or postponed Meeting, and to vote on all matters that come before either meeting the number of shares that the undersigned would be entitled to vote if present in person, as specified below. (INSTRUCTIONS: Mark votes by placing an [x] in the appropriate [ ].) 1. ELECTION OF THREE DIRECTORS [ ] FOR TIMOTHY BROG [ ] WITHHOLD AUTHORITY [ ] FOR PHILLIP GOLDSTEIN [ ] WITHHOLD AUTHORITY [ ] FOR ANDREW DAKOS [ ] WITHHOLD AUTHORITY 2: RATIFICATION OF THE SELECTION OF HOLTZ RUBENSTEIN REMINICK LLP AS AUDITORS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2007. FOR [ ]AGAINST [ ]ABSTAIN [ ] 3. A PROPOSAL TO DISMANTLE THE COMPANY?S POISON PILL FOR [ ]AGAINST [ ]ABSTAIN [ ] Please sign and date below. Your shares will be voted as directed. If no direction is made, this proxy will be voted FOR the election of the nominees named above and FOR Proposals 2 and 3. The undersigned hereby acknowledges receipt of the proxy statement dated November --, 2007 of Full Value Partners L.P. and revokes any proxy previously executed. Signature(s)___________________ Dated: _______________
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, DC 20549 SCHEDULE 14A Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Filed by the Registrant [] Filed by a Party other than the Registrant [X] Check the appropriate box: [ ] Preliminary Proxy Statement [ ] Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) [X] Definitive Proxy Statement [ ] Definitive Additional Materials [ ] Soliciting Material Pursuant to ss.240.14a-12 GYRODYNE COMPANY OF AMERICA, INC. (Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter) Full Value Partners L.P., Andrew Dakos and Phillip Goldstein (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant) Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box): [x] No fee required. [ ] Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a- 6(i)(1) and 0-11. 1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies: 2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies: 3) 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): 4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction: 5) Total fee paid: [ ] Fee paid previously with preliminary materials. [ ] Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing. 1) Amount Previously Paid: 2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.: 3) Filing Party: 4) Date Filed: PROXY STATEMENT OF FULL VALUE PARTNERS L.P., A STOCKHOLDER OF GYRODYNE COMPANY OF AMERICA, INC. IN OPPOSITION TO THE SOLICITATION BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE 2007 ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON DECEMBER 5, 2007 Full Value Partners L.P., a stockholder of Gyrodyne Company of America, Inc. ("Gyrodyne"), is sending this proxy statement and
the enclosed GREEN proxy card to shareholders of record as of October 22, 2007 (the "Record Date") of Gyrodyne. We are soliciting a proxy to vote your shares at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the "Meeting"). Please refer to Gyrodyne's proxy soliciting material for additional information concerning the Meeting and the matters to be considered by shareholders including the election of directors. This proxy statement and the enclosed GREEN proxy card are first being sent to shareholders on or about November 16, 2007. INTRODUCTION There are two matters that the board has scheduled to be voted upon at the Meeting: (1) to elect three Directors for a three- year term; and (2) to ratify Holtz Rubenstein Reminick LLP as auditors for the Fiscal Year ending December 31, 2007. In addition, we intend to submit a non-binding proposal to eliminate Gyrodyne's poison pill. We are soliciting a proxy to vote your shares FOR the election of our nominees as directors and FOR each of the above proposals. How Proxies Will Be Voted If you wish to vote FOR the election of our nominees and/or to vote on any of the above proposals, you may do so by completing and returning a GREEN proxy card to us or to our agent. Unless you direct otherwise, your shares will be voted FOR the election of our nominees, FOR the ratification of Holtz Rubenstein Reminick LLP as auditors and FOR our proposal to eliminate Gyrodyne's poison pill. In addition, you will be granting the proxy holder(s) discretionary authority to vote on any other matters that may come before the Meeting including matters relating to the conduct of the Meeting. Voting Requirements The presence in person or by proxy of more than 50% of Gyrodyne's outstanding shares shall constitute a quorum. Directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast. The other proposals will be decided by a majority of the votes cast. Abstentions are not votes cast and will have no effect on the outcome of either proposal. We do not expect any broker non-votes because this is a contested election. Revocation of Proxies You may revoke any proxy prior to its exercise by: (i) delivering a written revocation to us; (ii) executing and delivering a later dated proxy; or (iii) voting in person at the Meeting. Attendance at the Meeting will not in and of itself revoke a proxy. Only your latest dated proxy will be counted. PROPOSAL 1: ELECTION OF DIRECTORS At the Meeting, we intend to nominate the following persons for election as directors for a three-year term. Unless instructed otherwise, your proxy will be voted FOR all of our nominees. Please refer to Gyrodyne's proxy soliciting material for additional information concerning the election of directors. Phillip Goldstein (born 1945); 60 Heritage Drive, Pleasantville, NY 10570 - Since 1992, Mr. Goldstein has been an investment advisor and a principal of the general partner of five investment partnerships in the Bulldog
Investors group of funds: Opportunity Partners L.P., Opportunity Income Plus Fund L.P., Full Value Partners L.P., Full Value Offshore Ltd. and Full Value Special Situations Fund L.P. He has been a director of the Mexico Equity and Income Fund since 2000 and Brantley Capital Corporation since 2001. Timothy Brog (born 1964); Mr. Brog has been the Managing Director of Locksmith Capital Management LLC since September 2007. Prior to that, Mr. Brog had been the President of Pembridge Capital Management LLC and the Portfolio Manager of Pembridge Value Opportunity Fund since 2004. Mr. Brog had been a Managing Director of The Edward Andrews Group Inc., a boutique investment bank from 1996 to 2004. From 1989 to 1995, Mr. Brog was a corporate finance and mergers and acquisition associate of the law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. Mr. Brog is a director of The Topps Company, Inc. and Peerless Systems Corporation. Mr. Brog received a Juris Doctorate from Fordham University School of Law in 1989 and a BA from Tufts University in 1986. Andrew Dakos (born 1966); Park 80 West, Plaza Two, Suite 750, Saddle Brook, NJ 07663 - Mr. Dakos is a self-employed investment advisor and a principal of the general partner of five investment partnerships in the Bulldog Investors group of funds: Opportunity Partners L.P., Opportunity Income Plus Fund L.P., Full Value Partners L.P., Full Value Special Situations Fund L.P., and Full Value Offshore L.P. He has been a director of the Mexico Equity and Income Fund since 2001 and Brantley Capital Corporation since 2007. Mr. Goldstein and his wife jointly beneficially own 3,200 shares and Mr. Dakos beneficially owns 100 shares of Gyrodyne. Mr. Brog does not own any shares. Mr. Goldstein and Mr. Dakos are managing members of Full Value Advisors LLC, the General Partner of Full Value Partners. Mr. Goldstein and Mr. Dakos are principals of the General Partner of various limited partnerships (inclusive of Full Value Partners) that beneficially own a total of 167,421 shares of Gyrodyne. In aggregate, Mr. Goldstein and Mr. Dakos are deemed to beneficially own 225,616 shares of GYRO or 17.5% of the outstanding shares. There are no arrangements or understandings between Full Value Partners and any of the above nominees in connection with the nominations. PROPOSAL 2: RATIFICATION OF SELECTION OF AUDITORS Unless instructed otherwise, your proxy will be voted to ratify the selection of Holtz Rubenstein Reminick LLP as auditors for the Fiscal Year ending April 30, 2007. PROPOSAL 3: THE COMPANY?S POISON PILL SHALL BE ELIMINATED Gyrodyne has a poison pill that prevents shareholders from accepting a premium offer for their shares unless the board approves it. We do not believe any board should have such a veto. Therefore, we intend to introduce a non-binding proposal to eliminate Gyrodyne's poison pill. If this proposal is approved by shareholders the board can implement it but there is no certainty it will do so. Unless instructed otherwise, your proxy will be voted FOR this proposal.
THE SOLICITATION Persons affiliated with or employed by us or our affiliates may assist us in the solicitation of proxies. Banks, brokerage houses and other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries will be requested to forward this proxy statement and the enclosed GREEN proxy card to the beneficial owners of common shares for whom they hold shares of record. We will reimburse these organizations for their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses. Initially, we will bear all of the expenses related to this proxy solicitation. Because we believe that all shareholders will benefit from this solicitation, we intend to seek reimbursement of our expenses from Gyrodyne. Shareholders will not be asked to vote on the reimbursement of our solicitation expenses which we estimate will be $25,000, none of which has been paid thus far. We may engage a proxy solicitor to telephone shareholders but have not done so yet. None of the participants in this solicitation and, to our knowledge, none of their associates has entered into any contracts, arrangements, or understandings with any person with respect to Gyrodyne?s securities, future employment by Gyrodyne or its affiliates, or future transactions to which Gyrodyne or any of its affiliates is a party. (Note: The SEC considers a nominee to be a "participant" even if he only provides his biographical data. We believe it is misleading to call such a nominee a "participant"). Full Value Partners L.P. is the soliciting stockholder and owns 103,144 shares of Gyrodyne, of which 15,640 have been purchased within the past two years. There have not been any sales. As indicated above, two of our nominees are affiliated with Full Value Partners L.P. November 16, 2007 PROXY CARD Proxy Solicited in Opposition to the Board of Directors of Gyrodyne Company of America, Inc. ("Gyrodyne") by Full Value Partners L.P. for the 2007 Annual Meeting of Shareholders The undersigned hereby appoints Phillip Goldstein, Rajeev Das, and Andrew Dakos, and each of them, as the undersigned's proxies, with full power of substitution, to attend the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of Gyrodyne and any adjourned or postponed Meeting, and to vote on all matters that come before either meeting the number of shares that the undersigned would be entitled to vote if present in person, as specified below. (INSTRUCTIONS: Mark votes by placing an X in the appropriate [ ].) 1. ELECTION OF THREE DIRECTORS FOR A THREE-YEAR TERM. [ ] FOR TIMOTHY BROG [ ] WITHHOLD AUTHORITY [ ] FOR PHILLIP GOLDSTEIN [ ] WITHHOLD AUTHORITY
[ ] FOR ANDREW DAKOS [ ] WITHHOLD AUTHORITY 2: RATIFICATION OF THE SELECTION OF HOLTZ RUBENSTEIN REMINICK LLP AS AUDITORS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2007. FOR [ ]AGAINST [ ]ABSTAIN [ ] 3. A PROPOSAL TO ELIMINATE THE COMPANY?S POISON PILL. FOR [ ]AGAINST [ ]ABSTAIN [ ] Please sign and date below. Your shares will be voted as directed. If no direction is made, this proxy will be voted FOR the election of the nominees named above and FOR Proposals 2 and 3. The undersigned hereby acknowledges receipt of the proxy statement dated November 16, 2007 of Full Value Partners L.P. and revokes any proxy previously executed. Signature(s)__________________ Dated: _______________
Gyrodyne
Company of America, Inc.,
Plaintiff,
-against-
Full
Value Partners L.P., Bulldog Investors General Partnership,
Phillip
Goldstein, Andrew Dakos and Timothy Brog,
Defendants.
|
No.
07 cv 4857 (FB) (ETD)
|
Page
|
|
PRELIMINARY
STATEMENT
|
1
|
FACTUAL
BACKGROUND
|
3
|
A. The
Parties
|
3
|
B. Defendants’
Past Efforts To Mislead Gyrodyne’s Shareholders Were Found By The SEC To
Violate The Federal Proxy Rules
|
4
|
C. Defendants’
Previous History of Self-Interested and Unlawful Conduct
|
6
|
D. The
Bulldog 2007 Proxy
|
9
|
E. The
Deficiencies in the 2007 Proxy
|
10
|
F. The
False and Misleading Bulldog Letter
|
13
|
ARGUMENT
|
15
|
POINT
I GYRODYNE
WILL SUCCEED ON THE MERITS OF ITS SECTION 14(A) CLAIMS
AGAINST
DEFENDANTS
|
16
|
A. The
Bulldog 2007 Proxy and The Bulldog Letter Are Replete
with Material
Misrepresentations and Omissions
|
17
|
1. The
Bulldog 2007 Proxy Misrepresents The Bulldog Nominees’ Fitness To Serve As
Directors
|
17
|
2. The
Bulldog Letter Contains Material Misrepresentations
|
19
|
3. The
Bulldog 2007 Proxy Fails To Include the Information
Mandated by Schedule
14A As Required By Rule 14a-3
|
20
|
B. Defendants
Willfully Violated Section 14(a) In Connection With
The False And
Misleading Bulldog 2007 Proxy And the Bulldog
Letter
|
20
|
C. The
Bulldog 2007 Proxy Is An Essential Link In Effecting
The Proposed
Corporate Action As Required For Section 14(a)
Liability
|
21
|
POINT
II GYRODYNE AND
ITS SHAREHOLDERS WILL SUFFER IRREPARABLE HARM IF
AN INJUNCTION IS NOT
GRANTED
|
21
|
POINT
III THE BALANCE OF
HARDSHIPS WEIGHS IN FAVOR OF GRANTING INJUNCTIVE RELIEF
|
23
|
POINT
IV GYRODYNE IS ENTITLED TO
EXPEDITED DISCOVERY
|
24
|
A. Gyrodyne
Is Entitled To Limited Expedited Discovery Prior
to the Annual Meeting on
December 5, 2007
|
25
|
PAGE(S)
|
|
CASES:
|
|
Advanced
Portfolio Techs., Inc. v. Advanced Portfolio Techs.
Ltd.,
|
|
No.
94 CIV. 5620, 1994 WL 719696 (S.D.N.Y. Dec. 28, 1994)
|
24
|
Allyn
Corp. v. Hartford Nat’l Corp.,
|
|
No.
H 81-912, 1982 WL 1301 (D. Conn. Mar. 30, 1982)
|
20
|
Ayyash
v. Bank Al-Madina,
|
|
233
F.R.D. 325 (S.D.N.Y. 2005)
|
25
|
Bender
v. Jordan,
|
|
439
F. Supp. 2d 139 (D.D.C. 2006), appeal dismissed, No. 06-7141, 2007
WL 1577848 (D.C. Cir. Jan.
|
|
11,
2007)
|
22
|
Berkman
v. Rust Craft Greeting Cards, Inc.,
|
|
454
F. Supp. 787 (S.D.N.Y. 1978)
|
17
|
Bertoglio
v. Texas Int’l Co.,
|
|
480
F. Supp. 630 (D. Del. 1980)
|
18-19
|
Halpern
v. Armstrong,
|
|
491
F. Supp. 365 (S.D.N.Y. 1980)
|
16
|
Housing
Works, Inc. v. City of New York,
|
|
72
F. Supp. 2d 402 (S.D.N.Y. 1999) (same), appeal dismissed, 203 F.3d
176 (2d Cir. 2000)
|
24
|
ICN
Pharms., Inc. v. Khan,
|
|
2
F.3d 484 (2d Cir. 1993)
|
15
|
In
re W.T. Grant Co.,
|
|
6
B.R. 762 (Bankr. S.D.N.Y. 1980), transferred, 13 B.R. 1001
(S.D.N.Y. 1981)
|
16
|
J. I.
Case Co. v. Borak,
|
|
377
U.S. 426 (1980)
|
22
|
KeyBank,
Nat’l Ass’n v. Quality Payroll Sys., Inc.,
|
|
No.
CV 06-3013, 2006 WL 1720461 (E.D.N.Y. June 22, 2006)
|
25
|
Krauth
v. Executive Telecard, Ltd.,
|
|
890
F. Supp. 269 (S.D.N.Y. 1995)
|
22
|
Lebhar
Friedman, Inc. v. Movielab, Inc.,
|
|
No.
86 CIV. 9965, 1987 WL 5793 (S.D.N.Y. Jan. 13, 1987)
|
17,
22
|
Lichtenberg
v. Besicorp Grp. Inc.,
|
|
43
F. Supp. 2d 376 (S.D.N.Y. 1999), appeal dismissed, 204 F.3d
397
|
|
(2d
Cir. 2000)
|
16,
20-24
|
Lone
Star Steakhouse & Saloon, Inc. v. Adams,
|
|
148
F. Supp. 2d 1141 (D. Kan. 2001)
|
21-24
|
Mills
v. Electric Auto-Lite Co.,
|
|
396
U.S. 375 (1970)
|
16
|
MONY
Grp., Inc. v. Highfields Capital Mgmt, L.P.,
|
|
368
F.3d 138 (2d Cir. 2004)
|
22
|
North
Face Apparel Corp. v. TC Fashions, Inc.,
|
|
No.
05 Civ. 9083, 2006 WL 838993 (S.D.N.Y. Mar. 30, 2006)
|
24
|
Robinson
v. Penn Central Co., 336 F. Supp. 655, (E.D. Pa. 1971)
|
18
|
SEC
v. Goldfield Deep Mines Co.,
|
|
758
F.2d 459 (9th Cir. 1985)
|
17
|
SEC
v. Kalvex Inc.,
|
|
425
F. Supp. 310 (S.D.N.Y. 1975)
|
20
|
TSC
Indus., Inc. v. Northway, Inc.,
|
|
426
U.S. 438 (1976)
|
17-18
|
Twentieth
Century Fox Film Corp. v. Mow Trading Corp.,
|
|
749
F. Supp. 473 (S.D.N.Y. 1990)
|
24
|
Wilson
v. Great Am. Indus., Inc.,
|
|
855
F.2d 987 (2d Cir. 1988)
|
16,
20-21
|
STATUTES
& OTHER AUTHORITIES:
|
|
17
C.F.R. § 240.14a-3
|
17
|
17
C.F.R. § 240.14a-9(a)
|
17,
19
|
15
U.S.C. § 78n(a)
|
16
|
15
U.S.C. § 80a-12
|
7
|
Exchange
Act. Release No. 1006, [1978 Transfer Binder] Fed.
Sec. L. Rep. (CCH) ¶
81,649 (July 28, 1978)
|
16
|
A.
|
The
Parties
|
B.
|
Defendants’
Past Efforts To Mislead Gyrodyne’s Shareholders Were Found By The SEC To
Violate The Federal Proxy
Rules
|
C.
|
Defendants’
Previous History of Self-Interested and Unlawful
Conduct
|
|
D.
|
The
Bulldog 2007 Proxy
|
E.
|
The
Deficiencies in the 2007
Proxy
|
|
·
|
That
the Division of Corporation Finance of the SEC, in a
letter from Nicholas
P. Panos, Special Counsel, Securities and Exchange Commission,
dated
November 29, 2006, stated that Bulldog nominees Goldstein,
Dakos and Brog
violated Rule 14a-6 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 in connection
with the Bulldog 2006 Proxy and directed Bulldog to disclose
in its proxy
statement that it had committed a federal securities
law
violation. Bulldog refused to make this disclosure in the
Bulldog 2006 Proxy and has continued to omit any such
disclosure from the
Bulldog 2007 Proxy;
|
|
·
|
That
on October 17, 2007, the Acting Director of the Massachusetts
Securities
Division issued a Final Order finding that Full Value, Bulldog,
Goldstein and Dakos violated the Massachusetts Uniform
Securities Act and
that the Acting Director ordered a permanent cease-and-desist
from
committing any further violations of the Act and a $25,000
administrative
fine, the maximum penalty allowed under Massachusetts
law for this
violation;
|
|
·
|
That
Goldstein purchased shares of RMR for his personal account
and then
followed up with large purchases by a hedge fund he
controls. Goldstein’s personal purchase of shares prior to the
purchase of shares by the fund controlled by him constitutes
illegal
“front running;”
|
|
·
|
That
RMR had to sue Bulldog for violating the maximum ownership
rules in its
Trust Agreement following numerous requests by RMR over
a prolonged period
of time for Bulldog to bring its holdings into
compliance. These violations by Bulldog burdened RMR with
considerable fees
and expenses;
|
|
·
|
That
Goldstein and Bulldog solicited proxies from other shareholders
of RMR,
but chose not to appear at the shareholder meeting and
did not present the
proxies when it appeared that he would not have enough
votes to elect his
nominees and pass his proposals, thus disenfranchising
those shareholders
and ignoring the votes that he
solicited;
|
|
·
|
That
Bancroft was recently forced to sue Bulldog, Goldstein
and Dakos for
violating the maximum ownership rules set forth in the
Investment Company
Act;
|
|
·
|
That
Bulldog and Goldstein obtained control of Mexico Equity
and placed their
representatives on the Fund’s audit committee, leaving the audit committee
without a member who qualifies as a financial expert
as required by the
New York Stock Exchange listing requirements;
and
|
|
·
|
That
Goldstein and Bulldog have accepted “greenmail” payments from the
companies they target. For example, in 2006, Karpus, an ally of
Bulldog, made a proposal to terminate the investment
management agreement
between J. & W. Seligman & Co. Incorporated (the “Manager”) and
Seligman Select Municipal Fund, Inc. Bulldog and Karpus
abruptly ended their proxy contest and sold their shares
to the Chairman
of the Seligman Fund, who also owned a substantial percentage
of the
Manager, at a considerable premium above the market price. In
connection with the buy-out of their stakes, Bulldog
and Karpus agreed not
to conduct a proxy contest at the Seligman Fund for 25
years.`
|
F.
|
The
False and Misleading Bulldog
Letter
|
A.
|
The
Bulldog 2007 Proxy and The Bulldog Letter Are Replete
with Material
Misrepresentations and
Omissions
|
|
1.
|
The
Bulldog 2007 Proxy Misrepresents The Bulldog Nominees’ Fitness To Serve As
Directors
|
|
2.
|
The
Bulldog Letter Contains Material
Misrepresentations
|
|
3.
|
The
Bulldog 2007 Proxy Fails To Include the Information Mandated
by Schedule
14A As Required By Rule
14a-3
|
B.
|
Defendants
Willfully Violated Section 14(a) In Connection With The
False
And
Misleading Bulldog 2007 Proxy And the Bulldog
Letter
|
C.
|
The
Bulldog 2007 Proxy Is An Essential Link In Effecting
The Proposed
Corporate
Action As Required For Section 14(a)
Liability
|
A.
|
Gyrodyne
Is Entitled To Limited Expedited Discovery Prior to the
Annual Meeting on
December 5, 2007
|
Dated:
|
New
York, New York
|
|
November
26, 2007
|
Respectfully
Submitted,
|
By:
____________________________________
Attorneys
for Plaintiff Gyrodyne Company of America, Inc.
Martin
L. Seidel (MS-9459)
martin.seidel@cwt.com
CADWALADER,
WICKERSHAM & TAFT LLP
One
World Financial Center
New
York, New York 10281
Tel:
(212) 504-6000
Fax:
(212) 504-6666
|
Gyrodyne
Company of America, Inc.,
Plaintiff,
-
against -
Full
Value Partners L.P., Bulldog Investors General
Partnership,
Phillip Goldstein, Andrew Dakos and
Timothy
Brog,
Defendants.
|
No. 07
cv 4857 (FB)(ETB)
|
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, DC 20549 SCHEDULE 14A Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Filed by the Registrant [] Filed by a Party other than the Registrant [X] Check the appropriate box: [ ] Preliminary Proxy Statement [ ] Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) [X] Definitive Proxy Statement [ ] Definitive Additional Materials [ ] Soliciting Material Pursuant to ss.240.14a-12 GYRODYNE COMPANY OF AMERICA, INC. (Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter) Full Value Partners L.P., Andrew Dakos and Phillip Goldstein (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant) Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box): [x] No fee required. [ ] Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a- 6(i)(1) and 0-11. 1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies: 2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies: 3) 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): 4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction: 5) Total fee paid: [ ] Fee paid previously with preliminary materials. [ ] Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing. 1) Amount Previously Paid: 2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.: 3) Filing Party: 4) Date Filed: PROXY STATEMENT OF FULL VALUE PARTNERS L.P., A STOCKHOLDER OF GYRODYNE COMPANY OF AMERICA, INC. IN OPPOSITION TO THE SOLICITATION BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE 2007 ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON DECEMBER 5, 2007 Full Value Partners L.P., a stockholder of Gyrodyne Company of America, Inc. ("Gyrodyne"), is sending this proxy statement and
the enclosed GREEN proxy card to shareholders of record as of October 22, 2007 (the "Record Date") of Gyrodyne. We are soliciting a proxy to vote your shares at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the "Meeting"). Please refer to Gyrodyne's proxy soliciting material for additional information concerning the Meeting and the matters to be considered by shareholders including the election of directors. This proxy statement and the enclosed GREEN proxy card are first being sent to shareholders on or about November 16, 2007. INTRODUCTION There are two matters that the board has scheduled to be voted upon at the Meeting: (1) to elect three Directors for a three- year term; and (2) to ratify Holtz Rubenstein Reminick LLP as auditors for the Fiscal Year ending December 31, 2007. In addition, we intend to submit a non-binding proposal to eliminate Gyrodyne's poison pill. We are soliciting a proxy to vote your shares FOR the election of our nominees as directors and FOR each of the above proposals. How Proxies Will Be Voted If you wish to vote FOR the election of our nominees and/or to vote on any of the above proposals, you may do so by completing and returning a GREEN proxy card to us or to our agent. Unless you direct otherwise, your shares will be voted FOR the election of our nominees, FOR the ratification of Holtz Rubenstein Reminick LLP as auditors and FOR our proposal to eliminate Gyrodyne's poison pill. In addition, you will be granting the proxy holder(s) discretionary authority to vote on any other matters that may come before the Meeting including matters relating to the conduct of the Meeting. Voting Requirements The presence in person or by proxy of more than 50% of Gyrodyne's outstanding shares shall constitute a quorum. Directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast. The other proposals will be decided by a majority of the votes cast. Abstentions are not votes cast and will have no effect on the outcome of either proposal. We do not expect any broker non-votes because this is a contested election. Revocation of Proxies You may revoke any proxy prior to its exercise by: (i) delivering a written revocation to us; (ii) executing and delivering a later dated proxy; or (iii) voting in person at the Meeting. Attendance at the Meeting will not in and of itself revoke a proxy. Only your latest dated proxy will be counted. PROPOSAL 1: ELECTION OF DIRECTORS At the Meeting, we intend to nominate the following persons for election as directors for a three-year term. Unless instructed otherwise, your proxy will be voted FOR all of our nominees. Please refer to Gyrodyne's proxy soliciting material for additional information concerning the election of directors. Phillip Goldstein (born 1945); 60 Heritage Drive, Pleasantville, NY 10570 - Since 1992, Mr. Goldstein has been an investment advisor and a principal of the general partner of five investment partnerships in the Bulldog
Investors group of funds: Opportunity Partners L.P., Opportunity Income Plus Fund L.P., Full Value Partners L.P., Full Value Offshore Ltd. and Full Value Special Situations Fund L.P. He has been a director of the Mexico Equity and Income Fund since 2000 and Brantley Capital Corporation since 2001. Timothy Brog (born 1964); Mr. Brog has been the Managing Director of Locksmith Capital Management LLC since September 2007. Prior to that, Mr. Brog had been the President of Pembridge Capital Management LLC and the Portfolio Manager of Pembridge Value Opportunity Fund since 2004. Mr. Brog had been a Managing Director of The Edward Andrews Group Inc., a boutique investment bank from 1996 to 2004. From 1989 to 1995, Mr. Brog was a corporate finance and mergers and acquisition associate of the law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. Mr. Brog is a director of The Topps Company, Inc. and Peerless Systems Corporation. Mr. Brog received a Juris Doctorate from Fordham University School of Law in 1989 and a BA from Tufts University in 1986. Andrew Dakos (born 1966); Park 80 West, Plaza Two, Suite 750, Saddle Brook, NJ 07663 - Mr. Dakos is a self-employed investment advisor and a principal of the general partner of five investment partnerships in the Bulldog Investors group of funds: Opportunity Partners L.P., Opportunity Income Plus Fund L.P., Full Value Partners L.P., Full Value Special Situations Fund L.P., and Full Value Offshore L.P. He has been a director of the Mexico Equity and Income Fund since 2001 and Brantley Capital Corporation since 2007. Mr. Goldstein and his wife jointly beneficially own 3,200 shares and Mr. Dakos beneficially owns 100 shares of Gyrodyne. Mr. Brog does not own any shares. Mr. Goldstein and Mr. Dakos are managing members of Full Value Advisors LLC, the General Partner of Full Value Partners. Mr. Goldstein and Mr. Dakos are principals of the General Partner of various limited partnerships (inclusive of Full Value Partners) that beneficially own a total of 167,421 shares of Gyrodyne. In aggregate, Mr. Goldstein and Mr. Dakos are deemed to beneficially own 225,616 shares of GYRO or 17.5% of the outstanding shares. There are no arrangements or understandings between Full Value Partners and any of the above nominees in connection with the nominations. PROPOSAL 2: RATIFICATION OF SELECTION OF AUDITORS Unless instructed otherwise, your proxy will be voted to ratify the selection of Holtz Rubenstein Reminick LLP as auditors for the Fiscal Year ending April 30, 2007. PROPOSAL 3: THE COMPANY?S POISON PILL SHALL BE ELIMINATED Gyrodyne has a poison pill that prevents shareholders from accepting a premium offer for their shares unless the board approves it. We do not believe any board should have such a veto. Therefore, we intend to introduce a non-binding proposal to eliminate Gyrodyne's poison pill. If this proposal is approved by shareholders the board can implement it but there is no certainty it will do so. Unless instructed otherwise, your proxy will be voted FOR this proposal.
THE SOLICITATION Persons affiliated with or employed by us or our affiliates may assist us in the solicitation of proxies. Banks, brokerage houses and other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries will be requested to forward this proxy statement and the enclosed GREEN proxy card to the beneficial owners of common shares for whom they hold shares of record. We will reimburse these organizations for their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses. Initially, we will bear all of the expenses related to this proxy solicitation. Because we believe that all shareholders will benefit from this solicitation, we intend to seek reimbursement of our expenses from Gyrodyne. Shareholders will not be asked to vote on the reimbursement of our solicitation expenses which we estimate will be $25,000, none of which has been paid thus far. We may engage a proxy solicitor to telephone shareholders but have not done so yet. None of the participants in this solicitation and, to our knowledge, none of their associates has entered into any contracts, arrangements, or understandings with any person with respect to Gyrodyne?s securities, future employment by Gyrodyne or its affiliates, or future transactions to which Gyrodyne or any of its affiliates is a party. (Note: The SEC considers a nominee to be a "participant" even if he only provides his biographical data. We believe it is misleading to call such a nominee a "participant"). Full Value Partners L.P. is the soliciting stockholder and owns 103,144 shares of Gyrodyne, of which 15,640 have been purchased within the past two years. There have not been any sales. As indicated above, two of our nominees are affiliated with Full Value Partners L.P. November 16, 2007 PROXY CARD Proxy Solicited in Opposition to the Board of Directors of Gyrodyne Company of America, Inc. ("Gyrodyne") by Full Value Partners L.P. for the 2007 Annual Meeting of Shareholders The undersigned hereby appoints Phillip Goldstein, Rajeev Das, and Andrew Dakos, and each of them, as the undersigned's proxies, with full power of substitution, to attend the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of Gyrodyne and any adjourned or postponed Meeting, and to vote on all matters that come before either meeting the number of shares that the undersigned would be entitled to vote if present in person, as specified below. (INSTRUCTIONS: Mark votes by placing an X in the appropriate [ ].) 1. ELECTION OF THREE DIRECTORS FOR A THREE-YEAR TERM. [ ] FOR TIMOTHY BROG [ ] WITHHOLD AUTHORITY [ ] FOR PHILLIP GOLDSTEIN [ ] WITHHOLD AUTHORITY
[ ] FOR ANDREW DAKOS [ ] WITHHOLD AUTHORITY 2: RATIFICATION OF THE SELECTION OF HOLTZ RUBENSTEIN REMINICK LLP AS AUDITORS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2007. FOR [ ]AGAINST [ ]ABSTAIN [ ] 3. A PROPOSAL TO ELIMINATE THE COMPANY?S POISON PILL. FOR [ ]AGAINST [ ]ABSTAIN [ ] Please sign and date below. Your shares will be voted as directed. If no direction is made, this proxy will be voted FOR the election of the nominees named above and FOR Proposals 2 and 3. The undersigned hereby acknowledges receipt of the proxy statement dated November 16, 2007 of Full Value Partners L.P. and revokes any proxy previously executed. Signature(s)__________________ Dated: _______________
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, DC 20549 SCHEDULE 14A Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Filed by the Registrant [] Filed by a Party other than the Registrant [X] Check the appropriate box: [ ] Preliminary Proxy Statement [ ] Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) [x] Definitive Proxy Statement [ ] Definitive Additional Materials [ ] Soliciting Material Pursuant to ss.240.14a-12 GYRODYNE COMPANY OF AMERICA, INC. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter) FULL VALUE PARTNERS L.P. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant) Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box): [x] No fee required. [ ] Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11. 1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) 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): ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) Total fee paid: -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
[ ] Fee paid previously with preliminary materials. [ ] Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing. 1) Amount Previously Paid: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) Filing Party: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) Date Filed: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Full Value Partners L.P. Park 80 West - Plaza Two, Suite C04 Saddle Brook, NJ 07663 Phone: 201-556-0092 Fax: 201-556-0097 adakos@bulldoginvestors.com November 14, 2006 Dear Fellow Gyrodyne Shareholder: Full Value Partners is a member of a group that owns more than 17% of the shares of Gyrodyne and is its largest shareholder. We are writing to you because the board has failed to keep its promises to shareholders. Instead of moving to maximize shareholder value as it promised, management is apparently primarily concerned with retaining its jobs and perks. There is no need to go into a lot of detail about management's failings. Just consider the following facts. At last year's annual meeting held on December 9, 2005, CEO Stephen Maroney described management's goals this way: Simply put, our corporate objective is to position the Company so that it is best able to achieve what Wall Street calls one or more shareholder liquidity events in a
reasonable period of time that allows shareholders to realize maximum value for their investment in the Company. A liquidity event may be defined as a sale of the Company, a merger or other business combination, sale of assets followed by a distribution of proceeds or other value- realizing transaction. Our objective is to put the maximum amount of cash or marketable securities in the hands of our shareholders in a tax efficient manner. . . . After not hearing about any progress toward this goal and with Gyrodyne's stock price languishing below $45 per share, on April 17, 2006 we offered to pay $48.00 per share for all shares of Gyrodyne and indicated a willingness to increase our offer price after conducting due diligence. Without any negotiations, the board rejected our offer outright and on May 2, 2006 Gyrodyne issued an announcement in which Mr. Maroney stated: Our Board of Directors considered the offer carefully in consultation with our financial and legal advisors and concluded that Gyrodyne's prospects are substantially better than are reflected in the . . . offer. We believe that the pursuit of just compensation in the Court of Claims, together with the progress being made with the other components of our corporate strategy will enable Gyrodyne to achieve one or more shareholder liquidity events in a reasonable period of time and gives Gyrodyne a better chance to maximize value for our shareholders. On October 19, 2006, Mr. Maroney changed his tune as he proudly announced that Gyrodyne had agreed to acquire ten buildings in the Port Jefferson Professional Park in Port Jefferson Station, New York, stating: This acquisition . . . fits perfectly within the investment strategy of Gyrodyne and our management team is well suited to manage this property. We're enthusiastic about our first acquisition of property since announcing our strategy last year to convert to a REIT, which is scheduled to be effective as of May 1, 2006, the beginning of our current fiscal year. Clearly, using Gyrodyne's cash to acquire property is completely contrary to a "corporate strategy [to] enable Gyrodyne to achieve one or more shareholder liquidity events in a reasonable period of time." In short, Mr. Maroney and the rest of the board have betrayed the shareholders. That is why we believe it is time for a change at the top. To that end, we are proposing three nominees for the board of directors. You can be sure that our nominees will not tolerate any more stalling. They will have only one goal - to maximize shareholder value! We are also proposing that Gyrodyne eliminate its poison pill because it is a deterrent to achieving that goal. If you care about your investment in Gyrodyne and you share our goal of maximizing shareholder value, please vote your proxy
online at WWW.PROXYVOTE.COM or by telephone at 1-800-454-8683. Alternatively, you can mail the GREEN proxy card in the enclosed envelope but please do it today so we can get started on doing what it takes to achieve a much higher stock price for shareholders. Very truly yours, Andrew Dakos Managing Member Full Value Advisors LLC General Partner Top Gyrodyne investor blasts management By Jeremy Harrell Friday, November 10, 2006 Gyrodyne's biggest shareholder is mad as hell, and it's not going to take it anymore. Six months after Gyrodyne Co. of America Inc. rebuffed a takeover bid by Opportunity Partners LLP, the hedge fund's principals have demanded three seats on Gyrodyne's board of directors and called for a dissolution of the company's poison pill. Gyrodyne's annual shareholder meeting takes place next month. "We've been dissed long enough," said Phillip Goldstein, a general partner of Opportunity Partners, an entity linked to New Jersey-based Full Value Partners, which owns more than 17 percent of Gyrodyne stock. "Frankly, I don't know what management does all day." St. James-based Gyrodyne once made drone helicopters but now functions primarily as a real estate company. A large chunk of its most significant holding was recently seized through eminent domain by Stony Brook University, and Gyrodyne is seeking greater compensation from the state government for the land. In the last year, Gyrodyne's management has put the company on the path toward becoming a real estate investment trust. In October, Gyrodyne announced a plan to buy several medical office buildings in Port Jefferson and added a new director with greater experience in real estate. Goldstein said he and his partners don't necessarily oppose Gyrodyne's corporate repositioning, but he said the company's current management is ill-equipped to run a real estate firm. Opportunity Partners made its demands known through a Securities and Exchange Commission filing on Tuesday. "It's not just where it's heading, but who's heading it," Goldstein said of Gyrodyne. "They need an experienced real estate operator. All they're doing is endorsing rent checks and depositing them in the bank." Gyrodyne, in a statement, said the Port Jefferson acquisition is "consistent with Gyrodyne's REIT conversion strategy." In May, Gyrodyne turned down a $48-per-share tender offer from Opportunity Partners, saying the bid undervalued the company. Since then, however, Gyrodyne's lightly traded stock has hovered below $48, changing hands on Wednesday morning at $45.99.
In rejecting the buyout, Gyrodyne's chief executive also promised unspecified "shareholder liquidity events" in the near future. Goldstein said those liquidity events have never materialized, and instead of divesting all or parts of the company, Gyrodyne has expanded the board and bought more property. "They don't look like they're trying to provide liquidity," Goldstein said. "I think they're trying to milk this thing." In its statement, Gyrodyne said its recent acquisition would "further enhance" a liquidity strategy and unlock greater shareholder value, and declined to say more until it files a normal response. Goldstein also chided Gyrodyne's management for issuing stock options, insisting that options are designed to reward executives at the helm of dynamic companies. Gyrodyne, meanwhile, rarely exceeds a daily trading volume of 1,000 shares and, except for a brief spike when Opportunity Partners made its buyout offer, Gyrodyne's stock price has budged barely 1 percent since November 2005, according to Goldstein. "We've asked them for a board seat for some time, but they jerked us around," he said. "I'm tired of this." 2006 Long Island Business News PROXY STATEMENT OF FULL VALUE PARTNERS L.P., A STOCKHOLDER OF GYRODYNE COMPANY OF AMERICA, INC. ("Gyrodyne") IN OPPOSITION TO THE SOLICITATION BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS (To be held on December 7, 2006) Full Value Partners L.P., a stockholder of Gyrodyne, is sending this proxy statement and the enclosed GREEN proxy card to shareholders of record as of October 30, 2006 (the "Record Date") of Gyrodyne. We are soliciting a proxy to vote your shares at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the "Meeting"). Please refer to Gyrodyne's proxy soliciting material for additional information concerning the Meeting and the matters to be considered by shareholders including the election of directors. This proxy statement and the enclosed GREEN proxy card are first being sent to shareholders on or about November 16, 2006. INTRODUCTION There are two matters that the board has scheduled to be voted upon at the Meeting: (1) to elect three Directors; and (2) to ratify Holtz Rubenstein Reminick LLP as auditors for the Fiscal Year ending April 30, 2007. In addition, we intend to submit a non-binding proposal to dismantle Gyrodyne's poison pill. We are soliciting a proxy to vote your shares FOR the election of our nominees as directors and FOR each of the above proposals. How Proxies Will Be Voted If you wish to vote FOR the election of our nominees and/or to vote on any of the above proposals, you may do so by completing and returning a GREEN proxy card to us or to our agent. Unless
you direct otherwise, your shares will be voted FOR the election of our nominees, FOR the ratification of Holtz Rubenstein Reminick LLP as auditors and FOR our proposal to dismantle Gyrodyne's poison pill. In addition, you will be granting the proxy holder(s) discretionary authority to vote on any other matters that may come before the Meeting including matters relating to the conduct of the Meeting. Voting Requirements The presence in person or by proxy of more than 50% of Gyrodyne's outstanding shares shall constitute a quorum. Directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast. The other proposals will be decided by a majority of the votes cast. Abstentions will have no effect on the outcome of either proposal. Revocation of Proxies You may revoke any proxy prior to its exercise by: (i) delivering a written revocation to us; (ii) executing and delivering a later dated proxy; or (iii) voting in person at the Meeting. Attendance at the Meeting will not in and of itself revoke a proxy. There is no limit on the number of times you may revoke your proxy before it is exercised. Only your latest dated proxy will be counted. PROPOSAL 1: ELECTION OF DIRECTORS At the Meeting, we intend to nominate the following persons for election as directors. Each nominee has consented to being named in this proxy statement and to serve as a director if elected. Unless noted, none of our nominees personally owns shares or has any arrangement or understanding with any person with respect to any future employment by Gyrodyne. Please refer to Gyrodyne's proxy soliciting material for additional information concerning the election of directors. Phillip Goldstein (born 1945); 60 Heritage Drive, Pleasantville, NY 10570 - Mr. Goldstein is an investment advisor and a principal of the general partner of three investment partnerships in the Bulldog Investors group of funds: Opportunity Partners L.P., Opportunity Income Plus Fund L.P., and Full Value Partners L.P. He has been a director of the Mexico Income and Equity Fund since 2000, Brantley Capital Corporation since 2001, the Emerging Markets Telecommunications Fund since 2005 and the First Israel Fund since 2005. Timothy Brog (born 1964); Timothy Brog has been the President of Pembridge Capital Management LLC and the Portfolio Manager of Pembridge Value Opportunity Fund since 2004. Mr. Brog has been a Managing Director of The Edward Andrews Group Inc., a boutique investment bank since 1996. From 1989 to 1995, Mr. Brog was a corporate finance and mergers and acquisition associate of the law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. Mr. Brog is a director of The Topps Company, Inc. Mr. Brog received a Juris Doctorate from Fordham University School of Law in 1989 and a BA from Tufts University in 1986.
Andrew Dakos (born 1966); Park 80 West, Plaza Two, Suite C04, Saddle Brook, NJ 07663 - Mr. Dakos is a self-employed investment advisor and a principal of the general partner of three investment partnerships in the Bulldog Investors group of funds: Opportunity Partners L.P., Opportunity Income Plus Fund L.P., and Full Value Partners L.P. and President of Elmhurst Capital, Inc. an investment advisory firm. He has been a director of the Mexico Income and Equity Fund since 2001. Mr. Goldstein and his wife jointly beneficially own 3,200 shares and Mr. Dakos beneficially owns 100 shares of Gyrodyne. Mr. Goldstein and Mr. Dakos are managing members of Full Value Advisors LLC, the General Partner of Full Value Partners. Inclusive of the foregoing, Mr. Goldstein and Mr. Dakos are principals of the General Partner of various limited partnerships that beneficially own a total of 141,819 shares of Gyrodyne. In aggregate, Mr. Goldstein and Mr. Dakos are deemed to beneficially own 217,681 shares of GYRO or 17.58% of the outstanding shares. Mr. Brog does not own any shares of Gyrodyne. Each of our nominees has consented to be named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serve as a director if elected. There are no arrangements or understandings between Full Value Partners and any of the above nominees or any other person(s) in connection with the nominations. PROPOSAL 2: RATIFICATION OF SELECTION OF AUDITORS Unless instructions to the contrary are given, your proxy will be voted to ratify the selection of Holtz Rubenstein Reminick LLP as auditors for the Fiscal Year ending April 30, 2007. PROPOSAL 3: A PROPOSAL TO DISMANTLE THE COMPANY'S PILL Gyrodyne's board of directors has adopted a poison pill whose purpose is to prevent shareholders from accepting a premium offer for their shares unless the board approves it. We do not believe the board should have a veto over the shareholders if they determine that they wish to accept such an offer. Therefore, we intend to introduce a non-binding proposal that Gyrodyne dismantle its poison pill. There is no certainty that the board will implement this proposal if it is approved. In the absence of contrary instructions, the proxies will vote your shares FOR this proposal. THE SOLICITATION Persons affiliated with or employed by us or our affiliates may assist us in the solicitation of proxies. Banks, brokerage houses and other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries will be requested to forward this proxy statement and the enclosed GREEN proxy card to the beneficial owners of common shares for whom they hold shares of record. We will reimburse these organizations for their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses. Initially, we will bear all of the expenses related to this proxy solicitation. Because we believe that all shareholders will benefit from this solicitation, we intend to seek reimbursement of our expenses from Gyrodyne. Shareholders will not be asked to vote on the reimbursement of our solicitation
expenses which we estimate to be approximately $10,000. There is no arrangement or understanding involving us or any of our affiliates relating to future employment by or any future transaction with Gyrodyne. Other than as set forth in this Proxy Statement, there are no contracts, arrangements, or understandings entered into by any of the participants in the solicitation or, to the participants' knowledge, any of their associates within the past year with any person with respect to any of Gyrodyne's securities, including, but not limited to, joint ventures, loan or option arrangements, puts or calls, guarantees against loss or guarantees of profit, division or losses or profits, of the giving or withholding of proxies. Except as set forth in the Proxy Statement, none of the participants in the solicitation or, to the participants' knowledge, any of their associates has entered into any agreement or understanding with any person with respect to: (i) any future employment by Gyrodyne or its affiliates; or (ii) any future transactions to which Gyrodyne or any of its affiliates will or may be a party. Full Value Partners L.P. is the soliciting stockholder and owns 96,559 shares of Gyrodyne, of which 87,707 have been purchased within the past two years. As indicated above, two of our nominees are affiliated with Full Value Partners L.P. November 14, 2006 PROXY CARD Proxy Solicited in Opposition to the Board of Directors of Gyrodyne Company of America, Inc. ("Gyrodyne") by Full Value Partners L.P. for the 2006 Annual Meeting of Shareholders The undersigned hereby appoints Phillip Goldstein, Rajeev Das, and Andrew Dakos, and each of them, as the undersigned's proxies, with full power of substitution, to attend the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of Gyrodyne and any adjourned or postponed Meeting, and to vote on all matters that come before either meeting the number of shares that the undersigned would be entitled to vote if present in person, as specified below. (INSTRUCTIONS: Mark votes by placing an "x" in the appropriate [ ].) 1. ELECTION OF THREE DIRECTORS [ ] FOR TIMOTHY BROG [ ] WITHHOLD AUTHORITY [ ] FOR PHILLIP GOLDSTEIN [ ] WITHHOLD AUTHORITY [ ] FOR ANDREW DAKOS [ ] WITHHOLD AUTHORITY 2: RATIFICATION OF THE SELECTION OF HOLTZ RUBENSTEIN REMINICK LLP AS AUDITORS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING APRIL 30, 2007. FOR [ ]AGAINST [ ]ABSTAIN [ ]
3. A PROPOSAL TO DISMANTLE THE COMPANY'S POISON PILL FOR [ ]AGAINST [ ]ABSTAIN [ ] Please sign and date below. Your shares will be voted as directed. If no direction is made, this proxy will be voted FOR the election of the nominees named above and FOR Proposals 2 and 3. The undersigned hereby acknowledges receipt of the proxy statement dated November 14, 2006 of Full Value Partners L.P. and revokes any proxy previously executed. Signature(s)_______________ Dated: ______________
Re:
|
Gyrodyne Company
of America,
Inc.
|
1.
|
Given
that the proxy statement is being disseminated
with the expectation of
soliciting proxies to support a slate of directors
in opposition to the
slate proposed by management, the proxy statement
did not qualify under
Rule 14a-6 for the exclusion from filing in
preliminary form. Because a
preliminary proxy statement was not first filed,
the
|
2.
|
Gyrodyne
sent a letter dated November 15 to Full Value
notifying it of its failure
to comply with the Company's advance notice
requirements. Revise to
disclose, if true, that Full Value received
such notification from
Gyrodyne and that Gyrodyne intends to rule
any of Full Value's proposals
out of order at the annual meeting. In addition,
please disclose to
security holders that any proxies delivered
to the proxy holders
identified on the proxy card, Phillip Goldstein,
Rajeev Das and Andrew
Dakos, are accordingly at risk of not being
counted.
|
3.
|
Please
be advised that all of the disclosure required
by Item 4(b) and Item 5(b)
of Schedule 14A is required in contested solicitations
of directors.
Please revise the proxy statement to clearly
identify all participants and
include the corresponding disclosure required
for all participants in the
solicitation. All director nominees, for example,
fall squarely within the
scope of the definition of "participant" set
forth in Instruction 3(a) to
Item 4 of Schedule 14A. The dates of securities
transactions, for example,
have not been disclosed.
|
4.
|
Revise
the cover page of Schedule 14A to identify
every participant in the
solicitation as a person tiling the proxy statement.
At present, only Full
Value Partners L.P. has been identified as
the only person filing the
proxy statement.
|
5.
|
The
proxy statement does not appear to have been
prepared in accordance with
the item requirements in Schedule 14A. For
example, the proxy statement
should be amended to include the disclosures
required by Items 1, 2, 3,
4(b), 5(b), 6, 19, 20, and 21. The proxy statement
accordingly has been
disseminated with material omission. Please
revise the proxy statement and
distribute a supplement to security holders
that contains the missing
information.
|
6.
|
Please
file an amended Schedule 13D to clearly indicate,
if true, that the
clients referenced in this filing are indeed
members of the group.
Alternatively, explain how the clients can
retain dispositive power of the
securities yet not be considered members of
the
group..
|
7.
|
Please
describe the nature of the agreement between
the members of the group as
required by Item 6 of Schedule 13D. Expressly
state whether or not the
agreement is oral or written. In addition,
advise us of all of the names
of the persons and entities that could be considered
members of the
group.
|
8.
|
Please
obtain the signatures on the amended Schedule
13D of all of the members of
the group. At present, a signature for Bulldog
Investors is
missing.
|
9.
|
Please
revise to include the individual beneficial
ownership totals of each
member of the group. In addition, please ensure
that your responses to all
disclosure items follow the item requirements
provided on the Schedule 13D
publicly available on our website, www.sec.gov.
|
·
|
The
participant is responsible for the adequacy
and accuracy of the disclosure
in the filings;
|
·
|
staff
comments or changes to disclosure in response
to staff comments do not
foreclose the Commission from taking any action
with respect to the
filing; and
|
·
|
The
participant may not assert staff comments as
a defense in any proceeding
initiated by the Commission or any person under
the federal securities
laws of the United States.
|
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, DC 20549 SCHEDULE 14A Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Filed by the Registrant [] Filed by a Party other than the Registrant [X] Check the appropriate box: [x ] Preliminary Proxy Statement [ ] Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) [ ] Definitive Proxy Statement [ ] Definitive Additional Materials [ ] Soliciting Material Pursuant to ss.240.14a-12 GYRODYNE COMPANY OF AMERICA, INC. ---------------------------------------------------------------- (Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter) FULL VALUE PARTNERS L.P. ---------------------------------------------------------------- (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant) Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box): [x] No fee required. [ ] Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a- 6(i)(1) and 0-11. 1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies: ---------------------------------------------------------------- 2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies: ---------------------------------------------------------------- 3) 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): ----------------------------------------------------------- 4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:
---------------------------------------------------------------- 5) Total fee paid: --------------------------------------------------------------- <PAGE> [ ] Fee paid previously with preliminary materials. [ ] Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing. 1) Amount Previously Paid: ---------------------------------------------------------------- 2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.: ---------------------------------------------------------------- 3) Filing Party: ---------------------------------------------------------------- 4) Date Filed: ---------------------------------------------------------------- PROXY STATEMENT OF FULL VALUE PARTNERS L.P., A STOCKHOLDER OF GYRODYNE COMPANY OF AMERICA, INC. ("Gyrodyne") IN OPPOSITION TO THE SOLICITATION BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT THE 2007 ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS (To be held on December --, 2007) Full Value Partners L.P., a stockholder of Gyrodyne, is sending this proxy statement and the enclosed GREEN proxy card to shareholders of record as of October --, 2007 (the "Record Date") of Gyrodyne. We are soliciting a proxy to vote your shares at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the "Meeting"). Please refer to Gyrodyne's proxy soliciting material for additional information concerning the Meeting and the matters to be considered by shareholders including the election of directors. This proxy statement and the enclosed GREEN proxy card are first being sent to shareholders on or about November - -, 2007.
INTRODUCTION There are two matters that the board has scheduled to be voted upon at the Meeting: (1) to elect three Directors; and (2) to ratify Holtz Rubenstein Reminick LLP as auditors for the Fiscal Year ending December 31, 2007. In addition, we intend to submit a non-binding proposal to dismantle Gyrodyne's poison pill. We are soliciting a proxy to vote your shares FOR the election of our nominees as directors and FOR each of the above proposals. How Proxies Will Be Voted If you wish to vote FOR the election of our nominees and/or to vote on any of the above proposals, you may do so by completing and returning a GREEN proxy card to us or to our agent. Unless you direct otherwise, your shares will be voted FOR the election of our nominees, FOR the ratification of Holtz Rubenstein Reminick LLP as auditors and FOR our proposal to dismantle Gyrodyne's poison pill. In addition, you will be granting the proxy holder(s) discretionary authority to vote on any other matters that may come before the Meeting including matters relating to the conduct of the Meeting. Voting Requirements The presence in person or by proxy of more than 50% of Gyrodyne's outstanding shares shall constitute a quorum. Directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast. The other proposals will be decided by a majority of the votes cast. Abstentions will have no effect on the outcome of either proposal. Revocation of Proxies You may revoke any proxy prior to its exercise by: (i) delivering a written revocation to us; (ii) executing and delivering a later dated proxy; or (iii) voting in person at the Meeting. Attendance at the Meeting will not in and of itself revoke a proxy. There is no limit on the number of times you may revoke your proxy before it is exercised. Only your latest dated proxy will be counted. PROPOSAL 1: ELECTION OF DIRECTORS At the Meeting, we intend to nominate the following persons for election as directors. Each nominee has consented to being named in this proxy statement and to serve as a director if elected. Unless noted, none of our nominees personally owns shares or has any arrangement or understanding with any person with respect to any future employment by Gyrodyne. Please refer to Gyrodyne's proxy soliciting material for additional information concerning the election of directors. Phillip Goldstein (born 1945); 60 Heritage Drive, Pleasantville, NY 10570 - Mr. Goldstein is an investment advisor and a principal of the general partner of three investment partnerships in the Bulldog Investors group of funds: Opportunity Partners L.P., Opportunity Income Plus Fund L.P., and Full Value Partners L.P. He has been a
director of the Mexico Equity and Income Fund since 2000 and Brantley Capital Corporation since 2001. Timothy Brog (born 1964); Mr. Brog has been the Managing Director of Locksmith Capital Management LLC since September 2007. Prior to that, Mr. Brog had been the President of Pembridge Capital Management LLC and the Portfolio Manager of Pembridge Value Opportunity Fund since 2004. Mr. Brog had been a Managing Director of The Edward Andrews Group Inc., a boutique investment bank from 1996 to 2004. From 1989 to 1995, Mr. Brog was a corporate finance and mergers and acquisition associate of the law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. Mr. Brog is a director of The Topps Company, Inc. and Peerless Systems Corporation. Mr. Brog received a Juris Doctorate from Fordham University School of Law in 1989 and a BA from Tufts University in 1986. Andrew Dakos (born 1966); Park 80 West, Plaza Two, Suite 750, Saddle Brook, NJ 07663 - Mr. Dakos is a self-employed investment advisor and a principal of the general partner of five investment partnerships in the Bulldog Investors group of funds: Opportunity Partners L.P., Opportunity Income Plus Fund L.P., Full Value Partners L.P., Full Value Special Situations Fund L.P., and Full Value Offshore L.P. He has been a director of the Mexico Equity and Income Fund since 2001 and Brantley Capital Corporation since 2007. Mr. Goldstein and his wife jointly beneficially own 3,200 shares and Mr. Dakos beneficially owns 100 shares of Gyrodyne. Mr. Goldstein and Mr. Dakos are managing members of Full Value Advisors LLC, the General Partner of Full Value Partners. Inclusive of the foregoing, Mr. Goldstein and Mr. Dakos are principals of the General Partner of various limited partnerships that beneficially own a total of 160,204 shares of Gyrodyne. In aggregate, Mr. Goldstein and Mr. Dakos are deemed to beneficially own --------- shares of GYRO or -------% of the outstanding shares. Each of our nominees has consented to be named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serve as a director if elected. There are no arrangements or understandings between Full Value Partners and any of the above nominees or any other person(s) in connection with the nominations. PROPOSAL 2: RATIFICATION OF SELECTION OF AUDITORS Unless instructions to the contrary are given, your proxy will be voted to ratify the selection of Holtz Rubenstein Reminick LLP as auditors for the Fiscal Year ending April 30, 2007. PROPOSAL 3: A PROPOSAL TO DISMANTLE THE COMPANY'S PILL Gyrodyne has a poison pill whose purpose is to prevent shareholders from accepting a premium offer for their shares unless the board approves it. We do not believe the board should have such a veto. Therefore, we intend to introduce a non-binding proposal that Gyrodyne dismantle its poison pill. There is no certainty that the board will implement this proposal if it is approved. In the absence of contrary instructions, the proxies will vote your shares FOR this
proposal. THE SOLICITATION Persons affiliated with or employed by us or our affiliates may assist us in the solicitation of proxies. Banks, brokerage houses and other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries will be requested to forward this proxy statement and the enclosed GREEN proxy card to the beneficial owners of common shares for whom they hold shares of record. We will reimburse these organizations for their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses. Initially, we will bear all of the expenses related to this proxy solicitation. Because we believe that all shareholders will benefit from this solicitation, we intend to seek reimbursement of our expenses from Gyrodyne. Shareholders will not be asked to vote on the reimbursement of our solicitation expenses which we estimate to be approximately $20,000. There is no arrangement or understanding involving us or any of our affiliates relating to future employment by or any future transaction with Gyrodyne. Other than as set forth in this Proxy Statement, there are no contracts, arrangements, or understandings entered into by any of the participants in the solicitation or, to the participants? knowledge, any of their associates within the past year with any person with respect to any of Gyrodyne?s securities, including, but not limited to, joint ventures, loan or option arrangements, puts or calls, guarantees against loss or guarantees of profit, division or losses or profits, of the giving or withholding of proxies. Except as set forth in the Proxy Statement, none of the participants in the solicitation or, to the participants? knowledge, any of their associates has entered into any agreement or understanding with any person with respect to: (i) any future employment by Gyrodyne or its affiliates; or (ii) any future transactions to which Gyrodyne or any of its affiliates will or may be a party. Full Value Partners L.P. is the soliciting stockholder and owns 100,144 shares of Gyrodyne, of which ----- have been purchased within the past two years. As indicated above, two of our nominees are affiliated with Full Value Partners L.P. November --, 2007 PROXY CARD Proxy Solicited in Opposition to the Board of Directors of Gyrodyne Company of America, Inc. (?Gyrodyne?) by Full Value Partners L.P. for the 2007 Annual Meeting of Shareholders The undersigned hereby appoints Phillip Goldstein, Rajeev Das, and Andrew Dakos, and each of them, as the undersigned?s proxies, with full power of substitution, to attend the Annual
Meeting of Shareholders of Gyrodyne and any adjourned or postponed Meeting, and to vote on all matters that come before either meeting the number of shares that the undersigned would be entitled to vote if present in person, as specified below. (INSTRUCTIONS: Mark votes by placing an [x] in the appropriate [ ].) 1. ELECTION OF THREE DIRECTORS [ ] FOR TIMOTHY BROG [ ] WITHHOLD AUTHORITY [ ] FOR PHILLIP GOLDSTEIN [ ] WITHHOLD AUTHORITY [ ] FOR ANDREW DAKOS [ ] WITHHOLD AUTHORITY 2: RATIFICATION OF THE SELECTION OF HOLTZ RUBENSTEIN REMINICK LLP AS AUDITORS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2007. FOR [ ]AGAINST [ ]ABSTAIN [ ] 3. A PROPOSAL TO DISMANTLE THE COMPANY?S POISON PILL FOR [ ]AGAINST [ ]ABSTAIN [ ] Please sign and date below. Your shares will be voted as directed. If no direction is made, this proxy will be voted FOR the election of the nominees named above and FOR Proposals 2 and 3. The undersigned hereby acknowledges receipt of the proxy statement dated November --, 2007 of Full Value Partners L.P. and revokes any proxy previously executed. Signature(s)___________________ Dated: _______________
COMMONWEALTH
OF MASSACHUSETTS
|
OFFICE
OF THE SECRETARY OF THE COMMONWEALTH
|
SECURITIES
DIVISION
|
ONE
ASHB.URTON PLACE, 17TH FLOOR
|
BOSTON,
MASSACHUSETTS 02108
|
) | ||
IN THE MATTER OF: | ) | |
) | ||
BULLDOG INVESTORS GENERAL PARTNERSHIP, | ) | |
OPPORTUNITY PARTNERS L.P., | ) | |
FULL VALUE PARTNERS L.P., | ) | |
OPPORTUNITY INCOME PLUS FUND L.P., | ) | |
KIMBALL & WINTHROP, INC., | ) | DOCKET NO. E-07-0002 |
FULL VALUE ADVISORS, LLC, | ) | |
SPAR ADVISORS, LLC, | ) | |
PHILLIP GOLDSTEIN, | ) | |
STEVEN SAMUELS, | ) | |
ANDREW DAKOS, & | ) | |
RAJEEV DAS | ) | |
) | ||
RESPONDENTS.
|
) | |
) |
1:
|
Respondents
permanently cease and desist from committing
any further violations of the
Act;
|
2.
|
Respondents
take any and all action necessary to ensure
that the offer and sale of
securities in the Commonwealth are in accordance
with section 301 of the
Massachusetts Uniform Securities Act;
and
|
3.
|
Respondents
pay an administrative fine in the total
amount of $25,000.00, the maximum
penalty allowed by the Act but necessary
to serve as
a deterrent against future
violations.
|
COMMONWEALTH
OF MASSACHUSETTS
|
OFFICE
OF THE SECRETARY OF THE COMMONWEALTH
|
SECURITIES
DIVISION
|
ONE
ASHB.URTON PLACE, 17TH FLOOR
|
BOSTON,
MASSACHUSETTS 02108
|
) | ||
IN THE MATTER OF: | ) | |
) | ||
BULLDOG INVESTORS GENERAL PARTNERSHIP, | ) | |
OPPORTUNITY PARTNERS L.P., | ) | |
FULL VALUE PARTNERS L.P., | ) | |
OPPORTUNITY INCOME PLUS FUND L.P., | ) | |
KIMBALL & WINTHROP, INC., | ) | DOCKET NO. E-07-0002 |
FULL VALUE ADVISORS, LLC, | ) | |
SPAR ADVISORS, LLC, | ) | |
PHILLIP GOLDSTEIN, | ) | |
STEVEN SAMUELS, | ) | |
ANDREW DAKOS, & | ) | |
RAJEEV DAS | ) | |
) | ||
RESPONDENTS.
|
) | |
) |
|
/s/
Joseph F. Sheehan Joseph F. SheehanStaff
Attorney
|
COMMONWEALTH
OF MASSACHUSETTS
|
OFFICE
OF THE SECRETARY OF THE COMMONWEALTH
|
SECURITIES
DIVISION
|
ONE
ASHB.URTON PLACE, 17TH FLOOR
|
BOSTON,
MASSACHUSETTS 02108
|
) | ||
IN THE MATTER OF: | ) | |
) | ||
BULLDOG INVESTORS GENERAL PARTNERSHIP, | ) | |
OPPORTUNITY PARTNERS L.P., | ) | |
FULL VALUE PARTNERS L.P., | ) | |
OPPORTUNITY INCOME PLUS FUND L.P., | ) | |
KIMBALL & WINTHROP, INC., | ) | DOCKET NO. E-07-0002 |
FULL VALUE ADVISORS, LLC, | ) | |
SPAR ADVISORS, LLC, | ) | |
PHILLIP GOLDSTEIN, | ) | |
STEVEN SAMUELS, | ) | |
ANDREW DAKOS, & | ) | |
RAJEEV DAS | ) | |
) | ||
RESPONDENTS.
|
) | |
) |
56. The
Respondents' offering and/or selling
of securities in
Massachusetts requires compliance
with § 301 of the Act.
|
64. Attached
to Goldstein's response was a declaration
signed under the pains and penalties
of perjury stating in part, "[n]o
one may view any part of the web
site,
other than the opening screen, without
agreeing that the web site is not
a
solicitation."
|
|
1)
|
Require
Respondents to cease and desist from
further violations of the
Act;
|
|
2)
|
Require
Respondents to pay an administrative
fine in an amount and upon such terms
and conditions as the Director or
Hearing Officer may
determine;
|
|
3)
|
Require
Respondents to take any and all actions
necessary to ensure that the offer
or sale of securities in the Commonwealth
are in accordance with the
requirements of § 301 of the Act; and
|
4)
|
Take
such other actions, which may be
in the public interest and necessary
and
appropriate for the protection of
Massachusetts investors.
|
A.
|
Find
that all the sanctions and remedies
detailed herein are in the public
interest and necessary for the protection
of Massachusetts
investors;
|
B.
|
Find
as fact the allegations set forth
in paragraphs 1 to 83 of the
Complaint;
|
C.
|
Enter
an order requiring Respondents to
cease and desist from any further
violations of the Act;
|
D.
|
Enter
an order requiring Respondents to
pay an administrative fine in an
amount
and upon such terms and conditions
as the Director or Hearing Officer
may
determine;
|
E.
|
Enter
an order requiring Respondents to
take any and all actions necessary
to
ensure that the offer or sale of
securities in the Commonwealth are
in
accordance with the requirements
of § 301 of the Act;
and
|
F.
|
Take
such further action as may be deemed
just and appropriate to carry out
the
purposes of the Act.
|
BANCROFT
FUND LTD.,
|
: | UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT |
: | FOR THE DISTRICT OF NEW JERSEY | |
Plaintiff,
|
: | |
: | CIVIL ACTION NO. | |
v.
|
: | |
: | ||
BULLDOG INVESTORS, | : | |
OPPORTUNITY PARTNERS, L.P., | : | |
KIMBALL & WINTHROP, INC., | : | |
PHILLIP GOLDSTEIN, and | : | |
ANDREW DAKOS, | : | |
: | ||
Defendants.
|
: |
Dated:
October 3, 2007
|
s/
Louis R. Moffa, Jr.
LOUIS
R. MOFFA, JR.
|
I.
|
INTRODUCTION
|
II.
|
MEXICO’S
ECONOMIC REVIEW
|
III.
|
THE
MEXICAN STOCK EXCHANGE
|
IV.
|
THE
FUND’S PERFORMANCE
|
V.
|
PORTFOLIO
STRATEGY
|
Real
Activity
|
1999
|
2000
|
2001
|
2002
|
2003
|
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Real
GDP Growth (y-o-y)
|
3.70 | % | 6.60 | % | (0.30 | )% | 0.90 | % | 1.30 | % | 4.40 | % | 3.00 | % | 4.80 | % | ||||||||||||||||
Industrial
Production (y-o-y)
|
4.20 | % | 6.00 | % | (3.50 | )% | 0.00 | % | (0.75 | )% | 3.80 | % | 1.60 | % | 1.60 | % | ||||||||||||||||
Trade
Balance (US Billions)
|
$ | (5.60 | ) | $ | (8.00 | ) | $ |
10.00
|
$ | (8.00 | ) | $ | (5.60 | ) | $ | (8.10 | ) | $ | (7.60 | ) | $ | (6.10 | ) | |||||||||
Exports
(US Billions)
|
$ |
136.40
|
$ |
166.50
|
$ |
158.40
|
$ |
160.70
|
$ |
164.80
|
$ |
189.10
|
$ |
213.70
|
$ |
253.90
|
||||||||||||||||
Exports
Growth (y-o-y)
|
16.10 | % | 22.10 | % | (4.90 | )% | 1.50 | % | 2.50 | % | 14.70 | % | 14.00 | % | 10.30 | % | ||||||||||||||||
Imports
(US Billions)
|
$ |
142.00
|
$ |
174.50
|
$ |
168.40
|
$ |
168.70
|
$ |
170.50
|
$ |
197.20
|
$ |
221.30
|
$ |
260.00
|
||||||||||||||||
Imports
Growth (y-o-y)
|
13.20 | % | 22.90 | % | (3.50 | )% | 0.20 | % | 1.10 | % | 15.70 | % | 12.00 | % | 13.10 | % | ||||||||||||||||
Financial
Variables and Prices
|
1999
|
2000
|
2001
|
2002
|
2003
|
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
28-Day
CETES (T-bills)/
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Average
|
31.40 | % | 15.30 | % | 11.20 | % | 7.10 | % | 6.24 | % | 8.60 | % | 8.02 | % | 7.10 | % | ||||||||||||||||
Exchange
rate (Pesos/US$)
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Average
|
9.56
|
9.46
|
9.34
|
9.66
|
10.79
|
11.15
|
10.64
|
10.9
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Inflation
IPC, 12 month
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
trailing
|
12.30 | % | 9.00 | % | 4.40 | % | 5.70 | % | 4.00 | % | 5.20 | % | 3.30 | % | 3.80 | % | ||||||||||||||||
Mexbol
Index
|
1999
|
2000
|
2001
|
2002
|
2003
|
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
USD
Returns
|
90.39 | % | (20.81 | )% | 20.88 | % | (14.43 | )% | 33.61 | % | 50.49 | % | 44.90 | % | 45.77 | % | ||||||||||||||||
Market
Cap. (US Billions)
|
$ |
129.60
|
$ |
111.70
|
$ |
112.40
|
$ |
103.80
|
$ |
124.70
|
$ |
169.50
|
$ |
283.80
|
$ |
343.48
|
||||||||||||||||
EV/EBITDA
|
10.5x
|
7.9x
|
8.1x
|
6.6x
|
7.8x
|
8.3x
|
8.9x
|
10.6x
|
(USD
Return)
|
1999
|
2000
|
2001
|
2002
|
2003
|
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
NAV’s
per share
|
59.20 | % | (14.20 | )% | 10.00 | % | (13.50 | )% | 40.00 | % | 55.60 | % | 38.70 | % | 59.29 | % | ||||||||||||||||
Share
Price
|
74.70 | % | (5.60 | )% | 18.70 | % | (18.50 | )% | 36.00 | % | 66.60 | % | 8.10 | % | 75.54 | % | ||||||||||||||||
Eugenia
Pichardo
|
Portfolio
Manager
|
PICHARDO
ASSET MANAGEMENT
|
Allocation
of Portfolio Assets
|
July
31, 2007
|
(Calculated
as a percentage of Net Assets)
|
Schedule
of Investments
|
July
31, 2007
|
MEXICO
– 100.03%
|
Shares
|
Value
|
||||||
COMMON
STOCKS – 99.90%
|
||||||||
Airlines
– 1.49%
|
||||||||
Grupo
Aeroportuario del Centro Norte,
S.A. de C.V.
|
256,500
|
$ |
848,133
|
|||||
Grupo
Aeroportuario del Pacifico, S.A.
de C.V. – Class B
|
174,500
|
847,456
|
||||||
Grupo
Aeroportuario del Sureste, S.A.
de C.V.– Class B
|
116,900
|
613,498
|
||||||
2,309,087
|
||||||||
Cement
– 5.79%
|
||||||||
Cemex,
S.A. de C.V. CPO
|
1,301,900
|
4,205,223
|
||||||
Corporacion
Moctezuma, S.A. de C.V.
|
500,000
|
1,638,255
|
||||||
Grupo
Cementos de Chihuahua, S.A. de
C.V.
|
415,600
|
3,125,743
|
||||||
8,969,221
|
||||||||
Chemicals
– 0.56%
|
||||||||
Cydsa,
S.A. de. C.V.(a)
|
1,303,900
|
872,734
|
||||||
Communications
– 14.04%
|
||||||||
America
Movil, S.A. de C.V. – Class L
|
4,680,644
|
13,942,362
|
||||||
America
Movil, S.A. de C.V. – Class L ADR
|
60,070
|
3,596,992
|
||||||
Axtel,
S.A. de C.V. CPO(a)
|
575,203
|
4,191,504
|
||||||
21,730,858
|
||||||||
Distribution
– Wholesale – 0.00%
|
||||||||
Dermet
de Mexico, S.A.(a)
|
278,629
|
—
|
||||||
Financial
Groups – 4.67%
|
||||||||
GBM
Grupo Bursatil Mexicano, S.A.
de C.V. Casa de Bolsa(a)
|
1,457,200
|
2,387,264
|
||||||
Grupo
Financiero Banorte, S.A. de C.V.
– Class O
|
1,069,500
|
4,834,625
|
||||||
7,221,889
|
||||||||
Food,
Beverage, and Tobacco – 0.91%
|
||||||||
Fomento
Economico Mexicano, S.A. de C.V.
|
381,900
|
1,412,319
|
||||||
Housing
– 8.69%
|
||||||||
Desarrolladora
Homex, S.A. de C.V.(a)*
|
374,000
|
3,540,691
|
||||||
Desarrolladora
Homex, S.A. de C.V. –ADR(a)
|
40,500
|
2,289,060
|
||||||
SARE
Holding, S.A. de C.V.(a)
|
3,430,106
|
5,934,872
|
||||||
Urbi
Desarrollos Urbanos, S.A. de
C.V.(a)
|
401,100
|
1,695,540
|
||||||
13,460,163
|
||||||||
Schedule
of Investments (continued)
|
July
31, 2007
|
COMMON
STOCKS (continued)
|
Shares
|
Value
|
||||||
Industrial
Conglomerates – 8.71%
|
||||||||
Alfa,
S.A. – Class A
|
362,800
|
$ |
2,494,390
|
|||||
Grupo
Carso, S.A. de C.V.
|
701,000
|
2,850,294
|
||||||
Industrias
CH, S.A. – Class B(a)
|
756,700
|
3,342,760
|
||||||
Mexichem,
S.A. de C.V.
|
1,414,360
|
4,793,873
|
||||||
13,481,317
|
||||||||
Infrastructure
– 27.95%
|
||||||||
Carso
Infraestructura y Construccion,
S.A. de C.V.(a)
|
3,776,500
|
4,377,923
|
||||||
Empresas
ICA Sociedad Conroladora, S.A.
de C.V.(a)
|
1,980,750
|
12,550,594
|
||||||
Grupo
Mexicano de Desarrollo, S.A.(a)
|
1,867,600
|
8,163,479
|
||||||
Impulsora
del Desarrollo y el Empleo en
America Latina, S.A. de C.V.(a)
|
2,706,900
|
4,624,398
|
||||||
Promotora
y Operadora de Infraestructura,
S.A. de C.V.(a)
|
3,634,500
|
13,550,107
|
||||||
43,266,501
|
||||||||
Media
– 2.36%
|
||||||||
Grupo
Televisa, S.A. CPO
|
344,200
|
1,741,499
|
||||||
Grupo
Televisa, S.A. – ADR
|
75,500
|
1,906,375
|
||||||
3,647,874
|
||||||||
Mining
– 5.84%
|
||||||||
Grupo
Mexico, S.A. – Series B
|
891,700
|
6,275,323
|
||||||
Industrias
Penoles, S.A.
|
211,300
|
2,771,614
|
||||||
9,046,937
|
||||||||
Real
Estate Developer – 8.27%
|
||||||||
DINE,
S.A. de C.V.(a)
|
1,496,400
|
1,586,174
|
||||||
Grupe,
S.A. de C.V.(a)(b)
|
4,071,300
|
11,215,243
|
||||||
12,801,417
|
||||||||
Retailing
– 6.61%
|
||||||||
Wal-Mart
de Mexico, S.A. de C.V. – Class V
|
2,812,190
|
10,225,726
|
||||||
Shipping
– 0.48%
|
||||||||
Grupo
TMM, S.A. – ADR(a)
|
216,800
|
741,456
|
||||||
Waste
Management – 3.53%
|
||||||||
Promotora
Ambiental, S.A. de C.V.(a)
|
1,937,300
|
5,467,246
|
||||||
TOTAL
COMMON STOCKS (Cost $97,912,370)
|
$ |
154,654,745
|
||||||
Schedule
of Investments (concluded)
|
July
31, 2007
|
INVESTMENT
COMPANIES – 0.13%
|
Shares
|
Value
|
||||||
GBM
Fondo de Mercado de Dinero S.A.
de C.V., SIID para
Personas
|
||||||||
Fisicas(a)
|
86,303
|
$ |
205,450
|
|||||
TOTAL
INVESTMENT COMPANIES (Cost $208,036)
|
205,450
|
|||||||
TOTAL
MEXICO (Cost $98,120,406)
|
$ |
154,860,195
|
||||||
UNITED
STATES – 0.07%
|
||||||||
INVESTMENT
COMPANIES – 0.07%
|
||||||||
First
American Treasury Obligation
– Class A, 4.5338%
|
109,072
|
109,072
|
||||||
TOTAL
INVESTMENT COMPANIES (Cost $109,072)
|
109,072
|
|||||||
TOTAL
UNITED STATES (Cost $109,072)
|
109,072
|
|||||||
TOTAL
INVESTMENTS – 100.10% (Cost $98,229,478)
|
154,969,267
|
|||||||
LIABILITIES
IN EXCESS OF OTHER ASSETS – (0.10)%
|
(150,999 | ) | ||||||
TOTAL
NET ASSETS – 100.00%
|
$ |
154,818,268
|
||||||
Statement
of Assets & Liabilities
|
July
31, 2007
|
ASSETS:
|
||
Investments,
at value
|
||
Unaffiliated
issuers (Cost
$92,680,890)
|
$
|
143,754,024
|
Affiliated
issuers (Cost
$5,548,588)
|
11,215,243
|
|
Total
investments, at value
(Cost $98,229,478)
|
154,969,267
|
|
Foreign
currencies (Cost $100,513)
|
100,281
|
|
Receivables:
|
||
Dividends
and
Interest
|
22,736
|
|
Prepaid
expenses
|
16,306
|
|
Total
Assets
|
155,108,590
|
|
LIABILITIES:
|
||
Payable
to custodian
|
13,083
|
|
Investment
Advisory fees
|
108,232
|
|
Legal
fees
|
34,294
|
|
Administration
fees
|
30,854
|
|
Directors’
fees
|
22,175
|
|
Custody
fees
|
13,947
|
|
Fund
accounting fees
|
6,235
|
|
CCO’s
fee
|
2,000
|
|
Accrued
expenses
|
59,502
|
|
Total
Liabilities
|
290,322
|
|
Net
Assets
|
$
|
154,818,268
|
Net
Asset Value Per Preferred
Share
|
||
($54,566,696/1,429,336)
|
$
|
38.18
|
Net
Asset Value Per Common
Share
|
||
($100,251,572/2,626,019)
|
$
|
38.18
|
NET
ASSETS CONSIST OF:
|
||
Preferred
stock, $0.001 par value; 1,429,336
shares outstanding
|
||
(1,855,128
shares
authorized)
|
$1,429
|
|
Common
stock, $0.001 par value; 2,626,019
shares outstanding
|
||
(100,000,000
shares
authorized)
|
2,626
|
|
Paid-in
capital
|
64,501,705
|
|
Accumulated
net realized gain on investments
and foreign currency
|
33,572,951
|
|
Net
unrealized appreciation on investments
and foreign
currency:
|
56,739,557
|
|
Net
Assets
|
$
|
154,818,268
|
Statement
of Operations
|
For
the Year Ended
July
31, 2007
|
INVESTMENT
INCOME
|
||||
Dividends
— Unaffiliated issuers
|
$
|
1,052,300
|
||
Interest
|
87,979
|
|||
Total
Investment
Income
|
1,140,279
|
|||
EXPENSES
|
||||
Investment
Advisory fees (Note B)
|
$
|
958,616
|
||
Legal
fees
|
195,333
|
|||
Administration
fees (Note B)
|
147,048
|
|||
Directors’
fees and expenses (Note B)
|
92,515
|
|||
Custodian
fees (Note B)
|
67,338
|
|||
Reports
to shareholders
|
54,201
|
|||
Fund
accounting fees (Note B)
|
49,033
|
|||
Insurance
expense
|
42,269
|
|||
NYSE
fees
|
37,317
|
|||
Audit
fees
|
25,468
|
|||
CCO’s
fee (Note B)
|
24,369
|
|||
Transfer
agent fees
|
12,628
|
|||
Miscellaneous
fees
|
144
|
|||
Total
expenses
|
1,706,279
|
|||
NET
INVESTMENT LOSS
|
(566,000)
|
|||
NET
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN
(LOSS) ON
INVESTMENTS
|
||||
Net
realized gain from investments
and foreign currency
transactions
|
34,194,338
|
|||
Net
change in unrealized appreciation
from investments and foreign
currency
transactions
|
42,191,964
|
|||
Net
gain from investments and foreign
currency transactions
|
76,386,302
|
|||
NET
INCREASE IN NET ASSETS RESULTING
FROM OPERATIONS
|
$
|
75,820,302
|
||
Statements
of Changes in Net Assets
|
For
the Year
|
For
the Year
|
|||||||
Ended
|
Ended
|
|||||||
July
31, 2007
|
July
31, 2006
|
|||||||
INCREASE
(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS
|
||||||||
Operations:
|
||||||||
Net
investment gain (loss)
|
$ | (566,000 | ) | $ |
192,161
|
|||
Net
realized gain on investments
and foreign currency
transactions
|
34,194,338
|
12,702,285
|
||||||
Net
change in unrealized appreciation
in value of investments and
foreign
|
||||||||
currency
transactions
|
42,191,964
|
6,684,413
|
||||||
Net
increase in net assets
resulting from operations
|
75,820,302
|
19,578,859
|
||||||
Distributions
to Shareholders from:
|
||||||||
Net
investment income
|
||||||||
Common
stock
|
(326,181 | ) | (395,538 | ) | ||||
Preferred
stock
|
(188,487 | ) |
—
|
|||||
Net
realized gains
|
||||||||
Common
stock
|
(7,176,105 | ) | (10,909,315 | ) | ||||
Preferred
stock
|
(4,146,775 | ) |
—
|
|||||
Decrease
in net assets from
distributions
|
(11,837,548 | ) | (11,304,853 | ) | ||||
Capital
Share Transactions
|
||||||||
Purchase
of common stock for dividend
|
—
|
(4,514,583 | ) | |||||
Issuance
of common stock for dividend
|
4,255,191
|
4,514,583
|
||||||
Proceeds
from preferred stock sold
|
—
|
25,685,167
|
||||||
Increase
in net assets from capital share
transactions
|
4,255,191
|
25,685,167
|
||||||
Total
increase in net assets
|
68,237,945
|
33,959,173
|
||||||
Net
Assets:
|
||||||||
Beginning
of year
|
86,580,323
|
52,621,150
|
||||||
End
of year
|
$ |
154,818,268
|
$ |
86,580,323
|
||||
*Including
undistributed net
investment income (loss) of:
|
$ |
—
|
$ |
514,649
|
||||
Financial
Highlights
|
For
the Year
|
For
the Year
|
For
the Year
|
For
the Year
|
For
the Year
|
||||||||||||||||
Ended
|
Ended
|
Ended
|
Ended
|
Ended
|
||||||||||||||||
July
31,
|
July
31,
|
July
31,
|
July
31,
|
July
31,
|
||||||||||||||||
2007
|
2006
|
2005
|
2004
|
2003
|
||||||||||||||||
Per
Share Operating Performance
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Net
asset value, beginning of year
|
$ |
22.18
|
$ |
21.27
|
$ |
13.66
|
$ |
10.15
|
$ |
8.74
|
||||||||||
Net
investment income (loss)
|
(0.14 | ) |
0.14
|
0.01
|
(0.02 | ) | 0.00 | (2) | ||||||||||||
Net
realized and unrealized gains
on investments
|
||||||||||||||||||||
and
foreign currency
transactions
|
19.17
|
6.54
|
7.60
|
3.55
|
1.41
|
|||||||||||||||
Net
increase from investment operations
|
19.03
|
6.68
|
7.61
|
3.53
|
1.41
|
|||||||||||||||
Less:
Distributions
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Dividends
from net investment
income
|
(0.13 | ) | (0.16 | ) |
—
|
(0.02 | ) |
—
|
||||||||||||
Distributions
from net realized
gains
|
(2.90 | ) | (4.41 | ) |
—
|
—
|
—
|
|||||||||||||
Total
dividends and distributions
|
(3.03 | ) | (4.57 | ) |
—
|
(0.02 | ) |
—
|
||||||||||||
Capital
Share Transactions
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Anti-dilutive
effect of Share
Repurchase
|
—
|
0.18
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|||||||||||||||
Dilutive
effect of Share
Issuance
|
—
|
(0.18 | ) |
—
|
—
|
—
|
||||||||||||||
Dilutive
effect of Preferred
Share Issuance
|
—
|
(1.20 | ) |
—
|
—
|
—
|
||||||||||||||
Total
capital share transactions
|
—
|
(1.20 | ) |
—
|
—
|
—
|
||||||||||||||
Net
Asset Value, end of year
|
$ |
38.18
|
$ |
22.18
|
$ |
21.27
|
$ |
13.66
|
$ |
10.15
|
||||||||||
Per
share market value, end of year
|
$ |
44.23
|
$ |
19.40
|
$ |
18.82
|
$ |
11.73
|
$ |
9.10
|
||||||||||
Total
Investment Return Based on Market
Value,
|
||||||||||||||||||||
end
of year(1)
|
152.78 | % | 37.62 | % | 60.44 | % | 29.10 | % | 14.47 | % | ||||||||||
Financial
Highlights (continued)
|
For
the Year
|
For
the Year
|
For
the Year
|
For
the Year
|
For
the Year
|
||||||||||||||||
Ended
|
Ended
|
Ended
|
Ended
|
Ended
|
||||||||||||||||
July
31,
|
July
31,
|
July
31,
|
July
31,
|
July
31,
|
||||||||||||||||
2007
|
2006
|
2005
|
2004
|
2003
|
||||||||||||||||
Ratios/Supplemental
Data
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Net
assets, end of year (000’s)
|
$ |
100,251
|
$ |
54,872
|
$ |
52,621
|
$ |
33,779
|
$ |
25,104
|
||||||||||
Ratios
of expenses to average net assets:
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Before
expense
reimbursement
|
1.42 | % | 1.90 | % | 1.77 | % | 2.09 | % | 2.64 | % | ||||||||||
After
expense
reimbursement
|
1.42 | % | 1.90 | % | 1.77 | % | 2.08 | % | 2.62 | % | ||||||||||
Ratios
of net investment income (loss)
to average
|
||||||||||||||||||||
net
assets:
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Before
expense
reimbursement
|
(0.47 | )% | 0.24 | % | 0.03 | % | (0.15 | )% | 0.02 | % | ||||||||||
After
expense
reimbursement
|
(0.47 | )% | 0.24 | % | 0.03 | % | (0.15 | )% | 0.04 | % | ||||||||||
Portfolio
turnover rate
|
135.49 | %(3) | 179.85 | %(3) | 259.60 | % | 234.42 | % | 180.67 | % | ||||||||||
(1)
|
Total
investment return is calculated
assuming a purchase of common
stock at the
current market price on the first
day and a sale at the current
market
price on the last day of each
period reported. Dividends and
distributions, if any, are assumed
for purposes of this calculation
to be
reinvested at prices obtained
under the Fund’s dividend reinvestment plan
or at the price determined by
the stock dividend distribution.
Total
investment does not reflect brokerage
commissions.
|
(2)
|
The
amount listed is less than $0.005
per
share.
|
(3)
|
Calculated
on the basis of the Fund as a
whole without distinguishing
between shares
issued.
|
Financial
Highlights
|
For
the Year
|
For
the Period
|
|||||||
Ended
|
January
7, 2006
|
|||||||
July
31,
|
through
July 31,
|
|||||||
2007
|
2006
|
|||||||
Per
Share Operating Performance
|
||||||||
Net
asset value, beginning of period
|
$ |
22.18
|
$ |
21.25
|
||||
Net
investment income
|
(0.14 | ) |
0.13
|
|||||
Net
realized and unrealized gains
on investments and foreign currency
transactions
|
19.17
|
0.80
|
||||||
Net
increase from investment operations
|
19.03
|
0.93
|
||||||
Less:
Distributions
|
||||||||
Dividends
from net investment
income
|
(0.13 | ) |
—
|
|||||
Distributions
from net realized
gains
|
(2.90 | ) |
—
|
|||||
Total
dividends and distributions
|
(3.03 | ) |
—
|
|||||
Net
Asset Value, end of period
|
$ |
38.18
|
$ |
22.18
|
||||
Per
share market value, end of period
|
$ |
36.10
|
$ |
19.00
|
||||
Total
Investment Return Based on Market
Value, end of period(1)
|
110.66 | % | 2.70 | %(2) | ||||
Ratios/Supplemental
Data
|
||||||||
Net
assets, end of period (000’s)
|
$ |
54,567
|
$ |
31,708
|
||||
Ratios
of expenses to average net assets:
|
1.42 | % | 1.97 | %(3) | ||||
Ratios
of net investment income (loss)
to average net assets:
|
(0.47 | )% | 0.37 | %(3) | ||||
Portfolio
turnover rate
|
135.49 | %(4) | 179.85 | % | ||||
(1)
|
Total
investment return is calculated
assuming a purchase of common
stock at the
current market price on the first
day and a sale at the current market
price on the last day of each
period reported. Dividends and
distributions, if any, are assumed
for purposes of this calculation
to be
reinvested at prices obtained
under the Fund’s dividend reinvestment plan
or at the price determined by
the stock dividend distribution.
Total
investment does not reflect brokerage
commissions.
|
(2)
|
Not
Annualized.
|
(3)
|
Annualized.
|
(4)
|
Calculated
on the basis of the Fund as a
whole without distinguishing
between shares
issued.
|
Notes
to Financial Statements
|
July
31, 2007
|
Notes
to Financial Statements (continued)
|
July
31, 2007
|
Notes
to Financial Statements (continued)
|
July
31, 2007
|
Notes
to Financial Statements (continued)
|
July
31, 2007
|
Distributions
paid from:
|
7/31/07
|
7/31/06
|
||||||
Ordinary
Income
|
$ |
7,190,007
|
$ |
6,722,440
|
||||
Long-Term
Capital Gain
|
4,647,541
|
4,582,413
|
||||||
Total
|
$ |
11,837,548
|
$ |
11,304,853
|
||||
Notes
to Financial Statements (continued)
|
July
31, 2007
|
Cost
of Investments for tax purposes
|
$
|
98,352,983
|
Gross
tax unrealized appreciation on
investments
|
57,881,586
|
|
Gross
tax unrealized depreciation on
investments
|
(1,265,302)
|
|
Net
tax unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
on investments
|
56,616,284
|
|
Net
unrealized depreciation on foreign
currency transactions
|
(232)
|
|
Net
tax unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
on investments and foreign
currency
|
$
|
56,616,052
|
Undistributed
ordinary income
|
$
|
14,703,113
|
Undistributed
long-term capital gains
|
18,993,343
|
|
Total
Distributable earnings
|
$
|
33,696,456
|
Other
accumulated gains (losses)
|
$
|
—
|
Total
accumulated earnings (losses)
|
$
|
90,312,508
|
(a)
|
Represents
cost for federal income tax purposes.
Differences between the Fund’s cost
basis of investments and foreign
currency at July 31, 2007, for
book and
tax purposes, relate primarily
to the deferral of losses related
to wash
sales.
|
Notes
to Financial Statements (continued)
|
July
31, 2007
|
Notes
to Financial Statements (continued)
|
July
31, 2007
|
Notes
to Financial Statements (concluded)
|
July
31, 2007
|
Share
Balance
|
Share
Balance
|
Dividend
|
Value
|
|||||||||
Issuer
Name
|
At
Aug. 1, 2006
|
Additions
|
Reductions
|
At
July 31, 2007
|
Income
|
At
July 31, 2007
|
||||||
Grupe,
S.A. de C.V.
|
—
|
4,071,300
|
—
|
4,071,300
|
$—
|
$11,215,243
|
||||||
Additional
Information (unaudited)
|
July
31, 2007
|
Dividends
and Distributions (unaudited)
|
July
31, 2007
|
Dividends
and Distributions (unaudited)
(continued)
|
July
31, 2007
|
Dividends
and Distributions (unaudited)
(concluded)
|
July
31, 2007
|
Results
of Annual Stockholders Meeting
(unaudited)
|
July
31, 2007
|
I.
|
Election
of Directors
|
Common
Shareholder Nominee
|
Votes
For
|
Votes
Withheld
|
Andrew
Dakos
|
2,051,184
|
113,345
|
Preferred
Shareholder Nominee
|
||
Rajeev
Das
|
1,243,296
|
8,172
|
II.
|
Ratification
of Prior Issuance of Shares of
the Fund’s Preferred
Stock
|
Votes
For
|
Votes
Against
|
Abstained
|
Non
Votes
|
|
Common
Shareholders
|
1,243,738
|
214,136
|
83,269
|
623,386
|
Preferred
Shareholders
|
937,118
|
38,617
|
5,105
|
270,628
|
Privacy
Policy (unaudited)
|
July
31, 2007
|
·
|
Information
received from consumers or customers
on or in applications or other
forms,
correspondence, or conversations,
including, but not limited to,
their
name, address, phone number,
social security number, assets,
income and
date of birth; and
|
·
|
Information
about transactions with us, our
affiliates, or others, including,
but not
limited to, shareholder account
numbers and balance, payments
history,
parties to transactions, cost
basis information, and other
financial
information.
|
Privacy
Policy (unaudited) (continued)
|
July
31, 2007
|
Management
of the Fund (unaudited)
|
July
31, 2007
|
Name
and Address
|
Year
Born
|
Position(s)
with
the Fund
|
Term
of
Office/Length
of
Time Served
|
Principal
Occupation
During
the Past Five Years
|
Other
Directorships
Held
by Director
|
|||||
Gerald
Hellerman
10965
Eight Bells Lane
Columbia,
MD 21044
|
1937
|
Director,
Chief
Financial Officer
and Chief Compliance Officer
|
2007
/ 6 years
|
Managing
Director,
Hellerman
Associates
|
Director,
AirNet Systems, Inc.; Director, MVC Capital, Inc.;
Director, Brantley Capital Corporation
|
|||||
Phillip
Goldstein
60
Heritage Drive
Pleasantville,
NY 10570
|
1945
|
Director
|
2008
/ 7 years
|
President,
Kimball & Winthrop, Inc.; and general partner of
Opportunity Partners, L.P.; Managing Member of the general
partner of Full Value Partners, L.P.
|
Director,
Brantley Capital Corporation; Director, Emerging
Markets Telecommunications Fund; Director, First
Israel Funds
|
|||||
Glenn
Goodstein
2308
Camino Robledo
Carlsbad,
CA 92009
|
1963
|
Director
|
2008
/ 6 years
|
Registered
Investment Advisor; held numerous executive positions with
Automatic Data Processing until 1996.
|
None
|
|||||
Rajeev
Das
68
Lafayette Avenue
Dumont,
NJ 07628
|
1968
|
Director
|
2006
/ 6 years
|
Senior
analyst, Kimball & Winthrop, Inc.; prior Credit Manager,
Muriel Siebett & Company.
|
None
|
|||||
Andrew
Dakos
43
Waterford Drive
Montville,
NJ 07045
|
1966
|
Director
|
2006
/ 6 years
|
President
and CEO, UVitec Printing Ink, Inc.; and Managing Member of
the general partner of Full Value Partners, L.P.; President
of Elmhurst Capital, Inc.
|
None
|
Name
and Address
|
Year
Born
|
Position(s)
with
the Fund
|
Term
of
Office/Length
of
Time Served
|
Principal
Occupation
During
the Past Five Years
|
Other
Directorships
Held
by Director
|
|||||
Maria
Eugenia Pichardo
408
Teopanzolco Avenue
3rd
Floor-Reforma
Cuernavaca,
62260
Morelos
Mexico
|
1950
|
Interested
Officer,
President
|
Indefinite
/ 3 years
|
Portfolio
Manager of the Fund since the Fund’s Inception; President and
General Partner, Pichardo Asset Management, S.A. de C.V. since
2003; Managing Director, Acciones y Valores de Mexico, S.A.
de C.V. from 1979 to 2002.
|
None
|
|||||
Francisco
Lopez
408
Teopanzolco Avenue
3rd
Floor-Reforma
Cuernavaca,
62260
Morelos
Mexico
|
1971
|
Interested
Officer,
Secretary
|
Indefinite
/ 3 years
|
Research
Director, Pichardo Asset Management, S.A. de C.V. since 2003;
Assistant Portfolio Manager, Acciones y Valores de Mexico, S.A.
de C.V. from 1997 to 2002.
|
None
|
THE
MEXICO EQUITY
AND
INCOME FUND, INC.
Investment
Adviser:
Pichardo
Asset Management, S.A. de C.V.
408
Teopanzolco Avenue
3rd
Floor – Reforma
Cuernavaca,
62260 Morelos
Mexico
Independent
Registered Public
Accounting
Firm:
Tait,
Weller & Baker LLP
1818
Market Street, Suite 2400
Philadelphia,
PA 19103
Administrator
and Fund Accountant:
U.S.
Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
615
East Michigan Street
Milwaukee,
WI 53202
Transfer
Agent and Registrar:
Computershare
Investor Services, LLC
250
Royall Street; 3B
Canton,
MA 02021
Custodian:
U.S.
Bank, N.A.
Custody
Operations
1555
Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee,
WI 53212
Board
of Directors:
Andrew
Dakos
Rajeev
Das
Phillip
Goldstein
Glenn
Goodstein
Gerald
Hellerman
|
The
Mexico Equity
and
Income Fund, Inc.
Annual
Report
July
31, 2007
|
FYE 7/31/2007
|
FYE 7/31/2006
|
|
Audit
Fees
|
$23,500
|
$22,500
|
Audit-Related
Fees
|
$0
|
$0
|
Tax
Fees
|
$2,600
|
$2,400
|
All
Other Fees
|
$0
|
$0
|
Non-Audit
Related Fees
|
FYE 7/31/2007
|
FYE 7/31/2006
|
Registrant
|
$0
|
$0
|
Registrant’s
Investment Adviser
|
$0
|
$0
|
I.
|
CORPORATE
GOVERNANCE
|
A.
|
Board
and Governance Issues
|
|
1.
|
Board
of Director/Trustee
Composition
|
|
2.
|
Increase
Authorized Common Stock
|
|
3.
|
Blank
Check Preferred Stock
|
B.
|
Executive
Compensation
|
1.
|
Disclosure
of CEO, Executive, Board and
Management
Compensation
|
2.
|
Compensation
for CEO, Executive, Board and
Management
|
3.
|
Formation
and Independence of Compensation
Review
Committee
|
4.
|
Stock
Options for Board and
Executives
|
5.
|
Employee
Stock Ownership Plan
(ESOPs)
|
6.
|
Pay
Equity
|
7.
|
Ratio
Between CEO and Worker Pay
|
8.
|
Maximum
Ratio Between CEO and Worker
Compensation and/or Cap on CEO
Compensation
|
9.
|
Changes
to Charter or By-Laws
|
10.
|
Confidential
Voting
|
11.
|
Equal
Access to Proxy
|
12.
|
Golden
Parachutes
|
C.
|
Mergers
and Acquisitions
|
1.
|
Considering
the Non-Financial Effects of
a Merger
Proposal
|
2.
|
Mergers,
Restructuring and
Spin-offs
|
3.
|
Poison
Pills
|
4.
|
Anti-Greenmail
Proposals
|
5.
|
Opt-Out
of State Anti-Takeover Law
|
Portfolio
Manager Name
|
Registered
Investment
Company
(dollar
amount and number of accounts)
|
Other
Pooled
Investments
(dollar
amount and number of accounts)
|
Other
Accounts
(dollar
amount and number of accounts)
|
Ms.
Maria Eugenia Pichardo
|
$154,818,268
(1)
|
0
(0)
|
$8,373,910.19
(12)
|
Portfolio
Manager Name
|
Dollar
Range of Equity
Securities
in the Fund
(None,
$1-$10,000, $10,001-$50,000,
$50,001-$100,000,
$100,001 - $500,000,
$500,001
to $1,000,000, Over $1,000,000)
|
Aggregate
Dollar Range
of
Securities in all Registered
Investment
Companies Overseen
by
Portfolio Manager in Family of
Investment
Companies
|
Ms.
Maria Eugenia Pichardo
|
None
|
None
|
Period
|
(a)
Total
Number of Shares (or Units) Purchased
|
(b)
Average
Price Paid per Share (or Unit)
|
(c)
Total
Number of Shares (or Units) Purchased
as Part of Publicly Announced
Plans
or Programs
|
(d)
Maximum
Number (or Approximate Dollar
Value) of Shares (or Units) that
May Yet Be
Purchased Under the Plans or
Programs
|
2/1/06
to 2/28/06
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
3/1/06
to 3/31/06
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
4/1/06
to 4/30/06
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
5/1/06
to 5/31/06
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
6/1/06
to 6/30/06
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
7/1/06
to 7/31/06
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
7/1/07
to 7/31/07
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Total
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
(a)
|
The
Registrant’s President and Chief Financial
Officer have reviewed the
Registrant's disclosure controls
and procedures (as defined in
Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment
Company Act of 1940 (the “Act”))
as of a date within 90 days of
the filing of this report, as
required by
Rule 30a-3(b) under the Act and Rules 13a-15(b) or 15d-15(b)
under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934. Based on their
review, such officers have concluded
that the disclosure controls
and
procedures are effective in ensuring
that information required to
be
disclosed in this report is appropriately
recorded, processed, summarized
and reported and made known to
them by others within the Registrant
and by
the Registrant’s service provider.
|
(b)
|
There
were no changes in the Registrant's
internal control over financial
reporting (as defined in Rule
30a-3(d) under the Act) that
occurred during
the second fiscal quarter of
the period covered by this report
that has
materially affected, or is reasonably
likely to materially affect,
the
Registrant's internal control
over financial
reporting.
|
(a)
|
(1)
Any code of ethics or amendment
thereto, that is subject of the
disclosure required by Item 2, to the extent that the registrant
intends to satisfy Item 2 requirements through filing
an exhibit.
None.
|
(b)
|
Certification
pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
of
2002. Furnished
herewith.
|
-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, Wk69bVTX+tchU6TK1YpQHM2JxO7YMPpOiDccnyua/Rge5hBlZOJCPKnwo/blJhr3 JBRa5td2OH6xWR2xSmIkug== <SEC-DOCUMENT>0001364773-06-000010.txt : 20060926 <SEC-HEADER>0001364773-06-000010.hdr.sgml : 20060926 <ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20060926105320 ACCESSION NUMBER:0001364773-06-000010 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:DEFC14A PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:1 FILED AS OF DATE:20060926 DATE AS OF CHANGE:20060926 EFFECTIVENESS DATE:20060926 SUBJECT COMPANY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:SELIGMAN QUALITY MUNICIPAL FUND INC CENTRAL INDEX KEY:0000862813 IRS NUMBER:000000000 STATE OF INCORPORATION:MD FISCAL YEAR END:1031 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE:DEFC14A SEC ACT:1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER:811-06100 FILM NUMBER:061107904 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1:100 PARK AVENUE STREET 2:7TH FLOOR CITY:NEW YORK STATE:NY ZIP:10017 BUSINESS PHONE:2124480200 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1:100 PARK AVENUE STREET 2:7TH FLOOR CITY:NEW YORK STATE:NY ZIP:10017 FILED BY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:Bulldog Investors General Partnership CENTRAL INDEX KEY:0001364773 IRS NUMBER:562585535 FISCAL YEAR END:1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE:DEFC14A BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1:60 HERITAGE DRIVE CITY:PLEASANTVILLE STATE:NY ZIP:10570 BUSINESS PHONE:9147475262
MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1:60 HERITAGE DRIVE CITY:PLEASANTVILLE STATE:NY ZIP:10570 </SEC-HEADER> <DOCUMENT> <TYPE>DEFC14A <SEQUENCE>1 <FILENAME>sqfdefproxy.txt <TEXT>
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. ) Filed by the Registrant [] Filed by a Party other than the Registrant [X] Check the appropriate box: [_] Preliminary Proxy Statement [_] CONFIDENTIAL, FOR USE OF THE COMMISSION ONLY (AS PERMITTED BY RULE 14A-6(E)(2)) [X] Definitive Proxy Statement [_] Definitive Additional Materials [_] Soliciting Material Pursuant to (S) 240.14a-11(c) or (S) 240.14a-12 SELIGMAN QUALITY MUNICIPAL FUND, INC. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- (Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter) BULLDOG INVESTORS GENERAL PARTNERSHIP AND KARPUS MGT. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant) Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box): [X] No fee required. [_] Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and 0-11. (1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies: ------------------------------------------------------------------ (2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies: ------------------------------------------------------------------ (3) 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): ----------------------------------------------------------------------- (4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction: ----------------------------------------------------------------------- (5) Total fee paid: -----------------------------------------------------------------------
[_] Fee paid previously with preliminary materials. [_] Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing. (1) Amount Previously Paid: ------------------------------------------------------------------ (2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.: ------------------------------------------------------------------ (3) Filing Party: ------------------------------------------------------------------ (4) Date Filed: ------------------------------------------------------------------ PROXY STATEMENT OF BULLDOG INVESTORS GENERAL PARTNERSHIP AND KARPUS MANAGEMENT, INC., d/b/a KARPUS INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT STOCKHOLDERS OF SELIGMAN QUALITY MUNICIPAL FUND, INC., IN OPPOSITION TO THE SOLICITATION BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS (To be held on October 19, 2006) Bulldog Investors General Partnership (?BIGP?) and Karpus Management, Inc., d/b/a Karpus Investment Management (?Karpus?), stockholders of Seligman Quality Municipal Fund, Inc. (the ?Fund?), are sending this proxy statement and the enclosed GREEN proxy card to common and preferred stockholders of record as of August 18, 2006 (the ?Record Date?) of the Fund. We are soliciting a proxy to vote your shares at one of two venues for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of the Fund (the ?Meeting?). Please refer to the Fund?s proxy soliciting material for additional information concerning the Meeting and the matters to be considered by shareholders including the election of directors. This proxy statement and the enclosed GREEN proxy card are first being sent to common stockholders of the Fund on or about September 25, 2006. INTRODUCTION There are two matters that the Fund has scheduled to be voted upon at the Meeting: (1) to elect three Directors; and (2) to ratify the selection of Deloitte & Touche LLP as auditors of the Fund for 2006. In addition, we intend to submit a proposal to shareholders (3) to open-end the Fund; (4) to ensure a fair election; (5) to authorize us to bring a lawsuit to invalidate certain actions taken by the Board to thwart a shareholder vote; and (6) to terminate the management agreement between the Fund and J&W Seligman & Co. Incorporated. We are soliciting a proxy to vote your shares FOR the
election of our nominees as director and FOR each of the above proposals. How Proxies Will Be Voted If you wish to vote FOR the election of our nominees and/or to vote on any of our proposals, you may do so by completing and returning a GREEN proxy card to us or to our agent. Unless you direct otherwise, your shares will be voted at the Alternate Meeting described below and FOR the election of our nominees, FOR the ratification of Deloitte & Touche LLP as auditors of the Fund for 2007 and FOR each of our proposals. In addition, you will be granting the proxy holder(s) discretionary authority to vote on any other matters that may come before the Meeting including matters relating to the conduct of the Meeting. Voting Requirements The presence in person or by proxy of more than 50% of the Fund?s outstanding shares shall constitute a quorum. The Fund?s bylaws currently require that each director must be elected by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the votes entitled to be cast. (However, that provision and others will likely be the basis of a legal challenge because they were adopted to thwart shareholders from electing directors of their choice.) Proposals 2, 3 and 4 each require the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast for approval. Proposal 5 is advisory and does not have any specific voting requirement. Proposal 6 requires the lesser of the affirmative vote of (1) 67% of the shares present at the Meeting at which more than 50% of the shares are represented or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding shares. Abstentions will only have an impact on Proposal 6, in which case they will be treated as votes against it. Revocation of Proxies You may revoke any proxy prior to its exercise by: (i) delivering a written revocation to us; (ii) executing and delivering a later dated proxy; or (iii) voting in person at the Meeting or the Alternate Meeting described below. Attendance at the Meeting or Alternate Meeting will not in and of itself revoke a proxy. There is no limit on the number of times you may revoke your proxy before it is exercised. Only your latest dated proxy will be counted. ELECTION A: ALTERNATE MEETING The Board has a fiduciary duty to conduct a fair and democratic meeting. However, the Board has stated that it will not permit shareholders to vote for our nominees or on any proposals we attempt to make by declaring them ?out of order.? Therefore, to allow shareholders to fully exercise their franchise rights, we will hold an Alternate Meeting at the same time as the Board?s Meeting (the ?Sham Meeting?). All shareholders will be able to fully participate at the Alternate Meeting which will be held at 9:30 a.m. on October 19, 2006 at the offices of Bulldog Investors, Park 80 West - Plaza Two, Saddle Brook, NJ 07663. The bylaws do not specifically provide for an Alternate Meeting to a Sham Meeting. However, we are confident that a court will determine that we are justified in holding an Alternate Meeting. When faced with a similar abuse of power by the chair of a meeting, one court declared:
The right of the majority . . . to control the action of the meeting cannot be questioned. A presiding officer cannot arbitrarily defeat the will of the majority by refusing to entertain or put motions, by wrongfully declaring the result of a vote, or by refusing to permit the expression by the majority of its will. He is the representative of the body over which he presides. His will is not binding on it, but its will, legally expressed by a majority of its members, is binding. Many courts have concluded that an action whose primary purpose is to thwart a shareholder vote is presumptively invalid. After the Meeting we intend to seek a court order to (1) invalidate any such actions taken by the Board and (2) have all proxies counted as instructed whether presented at the Alternate Meeting or the Sham Meeting. Among the actions taken that we intend to challenge are: (1) the adoption of various bylaws designed to thwart a shareholder vote and (2) the Board?s determination to declare our nominations and proposals ?out of order? if presented at the Sham Meeting. Election A permits you to have your shares represented at the Alternate Meeting or the Sham Meeting. Unless instructions to the contrary are given, your proxy will be voted at the Alternate Meeting. If you vote against Election A, we will attempt to vote your shares at the Sham Meeting but, in light of the Board?s determination to discount them, your vote on the election of directors and on Proposals 4, 5 and 6 might be wasted. PROPOSAL 1: ELECTION OF DIRECTORS At the Meeting, we intend to nominate the following persons for election as directors. Each nominee has consented to being named in this proxy statement and to serve as a director if elected. Unless noted, all of our nominees are independent and none personally owns shares or has any arrangement or understanding with any person with respect to any future employment by the Fund or by any affiliate of the Fund. We do not know of any material conflicts of interest that would prevent any of them from acting in the best interest of the Fund. Please refer to the Fund?s proxy soliciting material for additional information concerning the election of directors. Phillip Goldstein (born 1945); 60 Heritage Drive, Pleasantville, NY 10570 ? Mr. Goldstein is a self- employed investment advisor and a principal of the general partner of three investment partnerships in the Bulldog Investors group of funds, Opportunity Partners L.P., Opportunity Income Plus Fund L.P., and Full Value Partners L.P. He has been a director of the Mexico Income and Equity Fund since 2000, Brantley Capital Corporation since 2001, the Emerging Markets Telecommunications Fund since 2005 and the First Israel Fund since 2005. Mr. Goldstein is a principal of three limited partnerships that are general partners of BIGP. Mr. Goldstein and his wife jointly beneficially own 38,500 Shares which they acquired between July 26, 2005 and July 13, 2006.
Gerald Hellerman (born 1937); 10965 Eight Bells Lane, Columbia, MD 21044 ? Mr. Hellerman is the managing director of Hellerman Associates, a financial and corporate consulting firm. He has been a director of the Mexico Income and Equity Fund since 2001, Brantley Capital Corporation until 2006, MVC Capital, Inc. since 2003 and Air Net Systems, Inc since 2005. Andrew Dakos (born 1966); 5 Ryan Court, Towaco, NJ 07082 ? Mr. Dakos is President and CEO of Uvitek Printing Ink, Inc., an ink and coating manufacturing company; Managing Member of the general partner of Full Value Partners L.P., and President of Elmhurst Capital, Inc. an investment advisory firm. He has been a director of the Mexico Income and Equity Fund since 2001 and Brantley Capital Corporation until 2006. Mr. Dakos is a principal of three limited partnerships that are general partners of BIGP. PROPOSAL 2: RATIFICATION OF SELECTION OF AUDITORS Unless instructions to the contrary are given, your proxy will be voted to ratify the selection of Deloitte & Touche LLP as auditors of the Fund for 2006. PROPOSAL 3: THE SHAREHOLDERS REQUEST THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS SHALL PROMPTLY TAKE THE STEPS NECESSARY TO OPEN-END THE FUND. Open-ending the Fund will eliminate its persistent discount from net asset value. Unless instructions to the contrary are given, your proxy will be voted in favor of this proposal. If adopted, this proposal will not be binding on the board. PROPOSAL 4: TO COMPLY WITH SECTIONS 18(I), 2(A)(42), 16(A), 1(B)(2), 1(B)(3) AND 36 OF THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940, EFFECTIVE AS OF 12:01 A.M. OF THE DATE OF THE 2006 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS AND NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION TO THE CONTRARY OF THE FUND?S ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OR ITS BYLAWS OR OF MARYLAND LAW, (A) EVERY BENEFICIAL OR RECORD STOCKHOLDER OF THE FUND ENTITLED TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING SHALL BE ENTITLED TO NOMINATE FOR DIRECTOR AND TO VOTE HIS OR HER SHARES FOR THE ELECTION OF ANY PERSON OR PERSONS OF HIS OR HER CHOICE, (B) NO DIRECTOR OR OFFICER OF THE FUND SHALL TAKE ANY ACTION WHOSE PRIMARY PURPOSE IS TO IMPEDE OR FRUSTRATE ANY STOCKHOLDER FROM NOMINATING OR VOTING HIS OR HER SHARES FOR SUCH PERSONS AND (C) AT A MEETING AT WHICH A QUORUM IS PRESENT, THE PERSONS RECEIVING THE MOST VOTES SHALL BE DECLARED ELECTED AS DIRECTORS. ANY ACTION BY ANY DIRECTOR OR OFFICER OF THE FUND TO SUBVERT THE INTENT OF THIS PROPOSAL SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE A BREACH OF FIDUCIARY DUTY UNDER SECTION 36 OF THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 AND UNDER MARYLAND LAW. This proposal instructs the Board to hold a fair Meeting. Unless instructions to the contrary are given, your proxy will be voted in favor of this proposal. PROPOSAL 5: THE SHAREHOLDERS AUTHORIZE BIGP AND KARPUS TO BRING A LAWSUIT TO INVALIDATE CERTAIN ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE BOARD TO THWART A SHAREHOLDER VOTE.
This proposal seeks to authorize us to bring a lawsuit to invalidate actions taken by the Board to prevent a fair Meeting. It is advisory only. Unless instructions to the contrary are given, your proxy will be voted in favor of this proposal. PROPOSAL 6: THE MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE FUND AND J&W SELIGMAN & CO. INCORPORATED SHALL BE TERMINATED. Seligman?s performance has been very poor and it should be fired. Unless instructions to the contrary are given, your proxy will be voted in favor of this proposal. THE SOLICITATION Persons affiliated with or employed by BIGP or Karpus or their affiliates may assist us in the solicitation of proxies. Banks, brokerage houses and other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries will be requested to forward this proxy statement and the enclosed GREEN proxy card to the beneficial owners of common shares for whom they hold shares of record. We will reimburse these organizations for their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses. Initially, we will bear all of the expenses related to this proxy solicitation. Because we believe that all shareholders will benefit from this solicitation, we intend to seek reimbursement of our expenses from the Fund. Shareholders will not be asked to vote on the reimbursement of our solicitation expenses which we estimate to be approximately $10,000. There is no arrangement or understanding involving BIGP, Karpus or any of our affiliates relating to future employment by or any future transaction with the Fund or any of its affiliates. Other than as set forth in this Proxy Statement, there are no contracts, arrangements, or understandings entered into by any of the participants in the solicitation or, to the participants? knowledge, any of their respective associates within the past year with any person with respect to any of the Fund?s securities, including, but not limited to, joint ventures, loan or option arrangements, puts or calls, guarantees against loss or guarantees of profit, division or losses or profits, of the giving or withholding of proxies. Except as set forth in the Proxy Statement, none of the participants in the solicitation or, to the participants? knowledge, any of their associates has entered into any agreement or understanding with any person with respect to: (i) any future employment by the Fund or its affiliates; or (ii) any future transactions to which the Fund or any of its affiliates will or may be a party. BIGP and Karpus are the soliciting stockholders. As of September 19, 2006, BIGP beneficially owned 748,900 shares all of which have been purchased within the past two years, and Karpus beneficially owned 684,366 shares of the Fund some of which have
been purchased since December 1999. As noted below, three of our nominees are affiliated with BIGP. September 25, 2006 The BIGP ? Karpus Group, Park 80 West - Plaza Two, Saddle Brook, NJ 07663 (201) 556-0092 // Fax: (201)556- 0097//pgoldstein@bulldoginvesors.com September 25, 2006 Dear Fellow Shareholder of Seligman Quality Municipal Fund: The BIGP ? Karpus Group owns more than 30% of the shares of Seligman Quality Municipal Fund and is its largest shareholder. We are writing to you because we are dissatisfied with the Fund?s performance and its persistent discount to net asset value (?NAV?). We are also appalled by the lack of oversight by the Board of Directors and its failure to do anything to improve the Fund?s performance or narrow the discount. In short, we believe it is time for a change at the top. SELIGMAN?S ABYSMAL PERFORMANCE The Fund?s objective is to provide a high level of current income exempt from Federal income taxes consistent with the preservation of capital and with consideration given to opportunities for capital gain. By any measure, that objective has not been met. In fact, in November 2005, the Board of Directors found a ?pronounced lag? in the Fund?s performance compared to its peers ?over the one-, three-, five- and ten-year periods, and over annualized rolling three- and five-year periods ended September 30, 2005, for each calendar year in the 2000-to-2004 period and for the first nine months of 2005, and compared to a group of ten competitor funds selected by the Manager over annualized rolling three- and five-year periods ended September 30, 2005, for each calendar year in the 2000-to-2004 period, and for the first nine months of 2005.? Even that dismal assessment understates how badly J & W Seligman & Co., the Fund?s manager has performed. On a scale of 1 (best) to 100 (worst), Lipper rated the Fund?s NAV performance at a rock bottom 100 over the five-year period ending August 31, 2006. In other words, over the last five years, virtually every other insured leveraged national municipal fund has outperformed the Fund. Its short term performance is also abysmal. For the year ending August 31, 2006, 93% of its peers outperformed the Fund. Finally, if you are a long-term shareholder, we sympathize with you. For the ten-year period ending August 31, 2006, 84% of its peers outperformed the Fund. Now, let?s look at the Fund?s yield. Of more than 100 closed-end national municipal funds, only one has a lower yield. Since its inception in 1991, the
Fund?s monthly dividend has gone from 7.8 cents to the current 4.1 cents. Over the past three years, the monthly dividend has been cut six times. Before those cuts began, the dividend was 60% higher than it is today. Even though the Board found that the Fund?s performance was ?below average for all periods considered,? it inexplicably renewed Seligman?s contract. Here is the Board?s reasoning in its own words: The Manager pointed out that the Fund?s comparative performance in recent periods had been adversely affected by the Manager?s decision to defensively position the portfolio in anticipation of rising interest rates, which did not rise as quickly as the Manager anticipated. The Manager also stated that the Fund?s somewhat high expense ratio also adversely affected its comparative performance. Taking into account these comparisons and the other factors considered, the directors were satisfied with the Manager?s explanation of the Fund?s pronounced lag in performance and retained confidence in the Manager?s ability to manage the Fund. Well, there you have it. The Board uncritically accepted Seligman?s explanation for the Fund?s ?pronounced lag in performance.? It was a result of Seligman?s poor judgment and the Fund?s high expenses. Wouldn?t you like to work for such an understanding boss? If our directors served on a school board, they would probably allow a school bus driver five or ten DUI?s before they lost confidence in his ability to do his job. All joking aside, how can shareholders have confidence in directors that are so tolerant of the manager?s incompetence? In light of the Fund?s long term underperformance, it is not surprising that its stock has traded at a discount to NAV for a long time. By mid-2005, the discount climbed to more than 14%. That attracted our attention and we began to aggressively accumulate shares. On September 19, 2005, we wrote a letter to the Board to advise it that we would submit a proposal at the next annual meeting to open-end the Fund and unless the Board agreed to abide by the will of the shareholders, seek to elect directors that would do just that. We believed long suffering shareholders deserved an opportunity to exit the Fund at full NAV. ?LET?S RIG THE ELECTION? The market responded positively to our open-ending proposal and the discount soon moved back to single digits. The Board, on the other hand, responded defensively. First, it flatly refused to abide by a shareholder vote on open-ending. Then, it adopted a new set of bylaws whose primary purpose was to make it more difficult for shareholders to elect directors of their choice. For example, it changed the standard for electing directors from a plurality of the votes cast to a majority of the Fund?s outstanding shares, knowing that it is virtually impossible for any nominee to get that many votes in a contested election. Another bylaw required
shareholders to jump through burdensome and unnecessary hoops just to exercise their basic right to nominate directors or present proposals at a shareholder meeting. On November 22, 2005, we notified the Board in writing of our intent to nominate directors and to submit a ?fair election? proposal. In our letter, we specifically asked the Board to ?notify us as soon as possible if you . . . believe this advance notice is deficient in any manner so that we can promptly cure any such deficiency.? The Board never responded so we reasonably assumed it was satisfied with our notification. In any event, although the Fund ordinarily holds its annual meeting in May, this year it delayed the meeting until October 19th. Thus, the Board has had almost eleven months to prepare for a contested election. The Board acknowledges that it ?has received three communications indicating that certain dissident Stockholders intend to solicit proxies . . . in favor of their own nominees for election to the Board.? Despite this, the Board says it will not permit shareholders to vote for our nominees ?because such communications did not comply with the requirements of the Fund's Bylaws? and that ?any such purported nominations will be ruled out of order in the event they are made at the Meeting, as will certain purported proposals by the same persons that likewise failed to comply with the requirements of the Fund?s Bylaws.? That is legalese meaning that no matter how much support our nominees receive from shareholders, they cannot be elected. Why is the Board trying to hold a rigged election? Brian Zino, a director of the Fund and a principal of Seligman, told us the real reason a few months ago: ?We can do the math.? In other words, he acknowledged that we owned enough shares to insure that our nominees would be elected in a fair election. Faced with that unpleasant reality, the only way Seligman could keep its friends on the Board was to rig the election. That is why the Board says that if we try to propose nominees, the Chair will declare them ?out of order.? Consequently, we will not vote our shares (and yours, if you so instruct us) at the Board?s Sham Meeting and subject to a shareholder vote we will file a legal challenge to invalidate the board?s actions. We will also hold an Alternate Meeting at the same time as the Board?s Sham Meeting. All shareholders will be able to fully participate at the Alternate Meeting which will be held at 9:30 a.m. on October 19, 2006 at the offices of Bulldog Investors, Park 80 West - Plaza Two, Saddle Brook, NJ 07663. The Fund?s bylaws do not specifically provide for an Alternate Meeting when the Board indicates that the annual meeting will be a Sham Meeting. However, we believe that under the circumstances we are justified in holding an Alternate Meeting. To add insult to injury, based on the Board?s proxy statement, the cost of holding the Sham Meeting including proxy solicitation and legal fees will
probably be more than $100,000 vs. the $10,000 or so we will spend to hold the Alternate Meeting. And, even though Seligman and the directors are the only beneficiaries of the Sham Meeting, Seligman won?t have to pay a dime. It convinced the Board to send the bill for the entire cost of the Sham Meeting to the shareholders. SELIGMAN?S ETHICAL LAPSES Ethical lapses are nothing new for Seligman. It is still dealing with charges by both the SEC and the New York State Attorney General that it fraudulently entered into secret arrangements with certain customers to allow them to trade in and out of its open-end funds in order to generate more fees for Seligman. According to New York State Attorney General, these arrangements cost long-term shareholders of Seligman?s funds more than $80 million. An affidavit submitted by the Attorney General also stated that the boards of directors of the Seligman group of funds ?are subservient to Seligman? and that the high expense ratios of Seligman?s funds, which the Board cited as a mitigating factor in excusing the Fund?s severe underperformance, ?are the result of the Boards? failure to negotiate at arms? length with Seligman.? But, don?t take our word for it. You can read all the sordid details yourself on the Attorney General?s website (including some shocking emails incriminating Seligman executives including Mr. Zino). (http://www.oag.state.ny.us/press/2005/sep/sep29a_05. html). The AG?s announcement is titled: ?Secret Mutual Fund Timing Arrangements Exposed At Seligman: Tops Execs Approved at Least a Dozen Deals that Skimmed Millions from Investors? Apparently, Seligman has not learned its lesson. Its heavy-handed and illegal threat to declare our nominations ?out of order? is just the latest example of its willingness to place its own interest ahead of the interest of shareholders. The truth is that Seligman opposes open-ending for only one reason. Open-ending would allow shareholders that are fed up with miserable long and short-term performance and an ethically challenged manager to exit at NAV. That would reduce Seligman?s fees which it needs to defend itself from the SEC and Attorney General Spitzer. Seligman acknowledges that ?these matters and any related publicity [could] result in reduced demand for shares of Seligman Funds or other adverse consequences.? In a nutshell, it is clear that the Fund is being run not for shareholders but to generate fees for Seligman. We think Seligman?s contract deserves to be terminated and the Fund should be open-ended. Our goal is to gain control of the board and then to maximize shareholder value by allowing shareholders to cash out of their investment at full NAV. Based on the Fund?s current market price, eliminating the discount would amount to an increase of about $1 per share. If you would like to get that $1 per share, don?t expect Seligman to do anything about it. As Tom Herzfeld, a prominent closed-end fund expert recently said: ?I always had the feeling [Seligman] didn?t care about the discount.?
Finally, if elected, our nominees will propose that the Fund authorize an investigation into the conduct of Seligman, the Fund?s directors, and its lawyers to determine if they should be sued for breach of fiduciary duty, diverting Fund assets for their own benefit, collecting illegal management fees and abuse of control. Any monies collected as a result of such a lawsuit will increase the Fund?s NAV and benefit shareholders. If you care about your investment in the Fund and want to eliminate the discount and fire our ethically challenged and incompetent manager, please vote your proxy online at WWW.PROXYVOTE.COM or by telephone at 1-800-454-8683. Alternatively, you can mail the GREEN proxy card in the enclosed envelope but please do it today so we can rid the Fund of all three evils -- the discount, the Board of Directors and Seligman!the Very truly yours, Phillip Goldstein, Bulldog Investors G.P Sharon Thornton, Karpus Investment Management PROXY CARD Proxy Solicited in Opposition to the Board of Directors of Seligman Quality Municipal Fund, Inc. (the ?Fund?) by Bulldog Investors General Partnership (?BIGP?) and Karpus Management, Inc. (?Karpus?) for the 2006 Annual Meeting of Shareholders at the Selected Venue The undersigned hereby appoints Phillip Goldstein, Rajeev Das, Andrew Dakos, and Sharon Thornton and each of them, as the undersigned?s proxies, with full power of substitution, to attend either the Annual Meeting of Shareholders or Alternate Meeting of Seligman Quality Municipal Fund, Inc. and any adjourned or postponed Meeting, and to vote on all matters that come before either meeting the number of shares that the undersigned would be entitled to vote if present in person, as specified below. (INSTRUCTIONS: Mark votes by placing an ?x? in the appropriate [ ].) ELECTION A. TO ATTEND THE ALTERNATE ANNUAL MEETING FOR [ ]AGAINST [ ] 1. ELECTION OF THREE DIRECTORS [ ] FOR GERALD HELLERMAN [ ] WITHHOLD AUTHORITY [ ] FOR PHILLIP GOLDSTEIN [ ] WITHHOLD AUTHORITY [ ] FOR ANDREW DAKOS [ ] WITHHOLD AUTHORITY 2: RATIFICATION OF THE SELECTION OF DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP AS AUDITORS OF THE FUND FOR 2006. FOR [ ]AGAINST [ ] ABSTAIN [ ]
3. THE SHAREHOLDERS REQUEST THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS SHALL PROMPTLY TAKE THE STEPS NECESSARY TO OPEN-END THE FUND. FOR [ ]AGAINST [ ] ABSTAIN [ ] 4. TO COMPLY WITH SECTIONS 18(I), 2(A)(42), 16(A), 1(B)(2), 1(B)(3) AND 36 OF THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940, EFFECTIVE AS OF 12:01 A.M. OF THE DATE OF THE 2006 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS AND NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION TO THE CONTRARY OF THE FUND?S ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OR ITS BYLAWS OR OF MARYLAND LAW, (A) EVERY BENEFICIAL OR RECORD STOCKHOLDER OF THE FUND ENTITLED TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING SHALL BE ENTITLED TO NOMINATE FOR DIRECTOR AND TO VOTE HIS OR HER SHARES FOR THE ELECTION OF ANY PERSON OR PERSONS OF HIS OR HER CHOICE, (B) NO DIRECTOR OR OFFICER OF THE FUND SHALL TAKE ANY ACTION WHOSE PRIMARY PURPOSE IS TO IMPEDE OR FRUSTRATE ANY STOCKHOLDER FROM NOMINATING OR VOTING HIS OR HER SHARES FOR SUCH PERSONS AND (C) AT A MEETING AT WHICH A QUORUM IS PRESENT, THE PERSONS RECEIVING THE MOST VOTES SHALL BE DECLARED ELECTED AS DIRECTORS. ANY ACTION BY ANY DIRECTOR OR OFFICER OF THE FUND TO SUBVERT THE INTENT OF THIS PROPOSAL SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE A BREACH OF FIDUCIARY DUTY UNDER SECTION 36 OF THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 AND UNDER MARYLAND LAW. FOR [ ]AGAINST [ ] ABSTAIN [ ] 5: THE SHAREHOLDERS AUTHORIZE BIGP AND KARPUS TO BRING A LAWSUIT TO INVALIDATE CERTAIN ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE BOARD TO THWART A SHAREHOLDER VOTE. FOR [ ]AGAINST [ ] ABSTAIN [ ] 6: THE MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE FUND AND J&W SELIGMAN & CO. INCORPORATED SHALL BE TERMINATED. FOR [ ]AGAINST [ ] ABSTAIN [ ] Please sign and date below. Your shares will be voted as directed. If no direction is made, this proxy will be voted FOR the election of the nominees named above in Election A and FOR Proposals 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. The undersigned hereby acknowledges receipt of the proxy statement dated September 25, 2006 of BIGP and Karpus and revokes any proxy previously executed. Signature(s)___________________________________ Dated: _______________
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Name
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Number
of Shares
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Opportunity
Partners
L.P.
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55,100
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Calapasas
Investment Partnership L.P.
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15,630
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Opportunity
Income Plus
L.P.
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10,000
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Mercury
Partners
L.P.
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15,000
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Steady
Gain Partners
L.P.
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12,100
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Full
Value Partners
L.P.
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48,100
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Hoffinger
Family
Partnership
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3,200
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C.P.C.
Inc
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15,000
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Philip
Goldstein and Judy
Goldstein
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5,000
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Filed
by the Registrant x
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Filed
by a Party other than the
Registrant o
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Check
the appropriate box:
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o
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Preliminary
Proxy Statement
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o
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Confidential,
for Use of the Commission
Only (as permitted by
Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
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o
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Definitive
Proxy Statement
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x
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Definitive
Additional Materials
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o
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Soliciting
Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12
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RMR
Hospitality and Real Estate
Fund
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(Name
of Registrant as Specified
In Its Charter)
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(Name
of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement,
if other than the
Registrant)
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Payment
of Filing Fee (Check the
appropriate box):
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x
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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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(5)
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Total
fee paid:
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o
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Fee
paid previously with preliminary
materials.
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o
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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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(3)
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Filing
Party:
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(4)
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Date
Filed:
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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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For
more information
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Contact:
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Timothy
Bonang
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Investor
Relations
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(617)
796-8149
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·
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Arthur
Koumantzelis was re-elected
as a Trustee of RHR for
a term of three years
ending in 2010. Mr. Koumantzelis was nominated
by the RHR Board of
Trustees. Goldstein had previously
announced his intention
to
nominate himself and solicited
proxies for his own election. At the
meeting, 98.5% of the shares
cast, voted for Mr. Koumantzelis’s
re-election.
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·
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Barry
Portnoy was re-elected
as a Trustee of RHR for
a term of three years
ending in 2010. Mr. Portnoy was nominated
by the RHR Board of
Trustees for re-election
by RHR’s Preferred Shareholders
voting as a
separate class. Goldstein had previously
announced his intention
to
nominate his associate
Andrew Dakos in place of
Mr. Portnoy and had
solicited proxies for Mr.
Dakos’s election. At the meeting 100% of
the shares cast, voted
for Mr.
Portnoy.
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·
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RHR
CURRENTLY EXPECTS THE PRELIMINARY
TABULATION OF VOTES SET
FORTH IN THIS
PRESS RELEASE TO BE CONFIRMED
WHEN IVS FILES ITS FINAL
REPORT AS INSPECTOR
OF ELECTIONS. HOWEVER, THIS PRELIMINARY
TABULATION IS SUBJECT TO
REVIEW AND MAY BE CHANGED
WHEN IVS MAKES ITS FINAL
REPORT.
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·
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THIS
PRESS RELEASE REPORTS PRELIMINARY
TABULATIONS INCLUDING VOTES
BY A
CHARITABLE TRUSTEE OF ABOUT
5% OF RHR COMMON SHARES
FOR WHICH GOLDSTEIN
AND HIS AFFILIATES MAY
CLAIM VOTING RIGHTS. RHR BELIEVES THE
CHARITABLE TRUSTEE MAY
VOTE BECAUSE THE RHR TRUST
AGREEMENT PROVIDES THIS
PROCEDURE. IT IS POSSIBLE
THAT GOLDSTEIN MAY CHALLENGE
THE VOTING BY THE
CHARITABLE TRUSTEE BY LITIGATION.
THE FINAL RESULTS OF LITIGATION
ARE
NEVER CERTAIN AND A COURT
MAY RULE THAT GOLDSTEIN
MAY VOTE THE 5% OF THE
COMMON SHARES WHICH HAVE
BEEN VOTED BY THE CHARITABLE
TRUSTEE. IF THE
CHARITABLE TRUSTEE’S VOTES WERE NOT COUNTED,
THE PRELIMINARY TABULATION
RESULTS SET FORTH IN THIS
PRESS RELEASE WOULD BE
CHANGED AS
FOLLOWS:
|
·
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98.3%
FOR KOUMANTZELIS.
|
·
|
THE
VOTES FOR PORTNOY (100%)
WOULD BE UNCHANGED BECAUSE
THE CHARITABLE TRUSTEE
DID NOT VOTE ANY PREFERRED
SHARES.
|
·
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IN
THIS PRESS RELEASE, MR.
O’BRIEN STATES THAT RHR INTENDS
TO EXPLORE WAYS TO
BRING THE PENDING LITIGATION
WITH GOLDSTEIN AND HIS
BULLDOG HEDGE FUND TO
A RAPID CONCLUSION. THIS STATEMENT IMPLIES
THAT RHR MAY SEEK TO
SETTLE ITS LITIGATION WITH
GOLDSTEIN OR OTHERWISE
SEEK EXPEDITED
RESOLUTION OF THE PENDING
LITIGATION. THERE CAN BE NO ASSURANCE
THAT
GOLDSTEIN IS WILLING TO
SETTLE ON TERMS RHR WILL
ACCEPT, AND RHR IS UNABLE
TO PREDICT IF ANY SETTLEMENT
OVERTURES TO GOLDSTEIN
OR ITS EXPEDITED
LITIGATION PROCESSES WILL
SUCCEED.
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·
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IN
THIS PRESS RELEASE, MR.
O’BRIEN STATES THAT RHR MAY
EXPLORE WAYS TO
COLLECT ITS COSTS OF THE
PROXY CONTEST OR LITIGATION
FROM GOLDSTEIN AND
HIS ASSOCIATES. COLLECTING COMPANY PROXY
COSTS FROM A DISSIDENT
SHAREHOLDER IS UNUSUAL. SIMILARLY, COLLECTING COSTS,
INCLUDING
ATTORNEYS FEES, IN LITIGATION
IS NOT CUSTOMARY. BECAUSE GOLDSTEIN IS
IN THE BUSINESS OF CREATING
EXPENSIVE PROXY COSTS AND
EXPENSIVE
LITIGATION, RHR BELIEVES
THAT IT MAY BE ABLE TO
COLLECT THESE COSTS FROM
GOLDSTEIN. HOWEVER, THERE CAN BE NO
ASSURANCE THAT THESE EFFORTS
WILL SUCCEED.
|
·
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LITIGATION
IS EXPENSIVE. DISCOVERY AND RULINGS DURING
LITIGATION MAY PRODUCE
RESULTS WHICH ARE CURRENTLY
NOT ANTICIPATED. THE ONGOING LITIGATION
AND POTENTIAL ADDITIONAL
LITIGATION BETWEEN RHR
AND GOLDSTEIN AND HIS
ASSOCIATES MAY RESULT IN
MATERIAL FINANCIAL COSTS
TO
RHR.
|
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 SCHEDULE 14A Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) Filed by the Registrant Filed by a Party other than the Registrant X Check the appropriate box: Preliminary Proxy Statement [ ] Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) Definitive Proxy Statement [X] Definitive Additional Materials [ ] Soliciting Material Pursuant to 240.14a-12 [ ] RMR Hospitality and Real Estate Fund (Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter) BULLDOG INVESTORS GENERAL PARTNERSHIP (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant) Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box): No fee required. [X] Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a- 6(i)(1) and 0-11. (1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies: (2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies: (3) 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): (4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction: (5) Total fee paid: Fee paid previously with preliminary materials [ ] Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing. (1) Amount Previously Paid: (2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.: (3) Filing Party: (4) Date Filed:
Bulldog Investors General Partnership Park 80 West - Plaza Two Saddle Brook, NJ 07663 (201) 556-0092 Fax: (201)556-0097 pgoldstein@bulldoginvestors.com February 6, 2007 Dear Fellow Shareholder of RMR Hospitality & Real Estate Fund: As you probably know, our Fund's shares have been trading at a double-digit discount from net asset value for several years. We wrote several letters to management asking it to address this problem but were consistently rebuffed. Consequently, last November we notified management that we would (1) nominate two persons for election as trustees at the 2007 annual shareholder meeting and (2) present a proposal to terminate the Fund's advisory agreement with RMR Advisers, Inc. Management responded by filing a lawsuit to prevent us (or any public shareholder) from owning more shares of the Fund than RMR. Apparently, the board and RMR consider us a threat to their domination of the Fund. The lawsuit harms all shareholders because, as management acknowledges, it could have a "materially adverse impact upon" the Fund's NAV. We can easily see 5% of the NAV being lost due to unnecessary legal expenses. This is a shameful waste of the Fund's assets. That is why we are offering shareholders an alternative. If our nominees are elected we will commence a tender offer promptly after the annual meeting to purchase all shares of the Fund's common stock at a price of 98% of NAV. To illustrate, on February 3, 2007 the Fund's NAV was $27.21 whereas the market price was only $23.94, i.e., a discount of 12%. If that date was the pricing date of our tender offer, we would buy all common shares tendered to us at 98% of $27.21 or $26.67. That is $2.73 per share more than the market price if there is no pending lawsuit opposing our tender offer (including the aforementioned lawsuit brought by the Fund) or other legal impediment to our acquiring additional shares. The choice is yours. You can vote for our nominees and pave the way for a tender offer that will allow you to sell your shares at a significant premium to the market price. Or you can vote for the status quo including the continuation of a lawsuit that will continue to deplete NAV week after week and a "do nothing" policy regarding the Fund's discount. Please vote your proxy online at WWW.PROXYVOTE.COM or by telephone at 1-800-454-8683 if your shares are held in street name. Alternatively, you can mail the GREEN proxy card in the enclosed envelope but please do it today.
Very truly yours, Phillip Goldstein PROXY STATEMENT OF BULLDOG INVESTORS GENERAL PARTNERSHIP, A STOCKHOLDER OF RMR HOSPITALITY & REAL ESTATE FUND IN OPPOSITION TO THE SOLICITATION BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS ON MARCH 8, 2007 Bulldog Investors General Partnership ("BIGP"), a stockholder of RMR Hospitality & Real Estate Fund (the "Fund"), is sending this proxy statement and the enclosed GREEN proxy card to common and preferred stockholders of the Fund of record as of December 11, 2006. We are soliciting a proxy to vote your shares at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of the Fund (the "Meeting") which is scheduled for March 8, 2007. Please refer to the Fund's proxy soliciting material for additional information concerning the Meeting and the matters to be considered by shareholders including the election of trustees. This proxy statement and the enclosed GREEN proxy card are first being sent to common and preferred stockholders of the Fund on or about February 6, 2007. INTRODUCTION There are two matters that the Fund has scheduled to be voted upon at the Meeting: (1) the election of one trustee by the holders of preferred shares and (2) the election of one trustee by the holders of common and preferred shares, voting together as a single class. In addition, we intend to submit (3) a proposal to terminate the Fund's advisory agreement with RMR Advisers, Inc. and (4) a proposal that seeks to bar the trustees from taking any action to prevent shareholders from accepting a tender offer for a price that is greater than the Fund's market price. We are soliciting a proxy to vote your shares FOR the election of our nominees as trustees and FOR our proposals. Reasons for the Solicitation The Fund's market capitalization is less than $60 million and it has a very high expense ratio which cuts deeply into shareholder returns. Soon after the Fund's common shares began trading in April 2004 they fell to a double-digit discount to their net asset value - a discount that has persisted since then. For example, on February 3, 2007 the Fund's NAV was $27.21 compared to a market price of only $23.94, i.e., a discount of 12%. We made several requests to RHR's management to address the discount but all of our requests were rejected. We then notified management that we intended to (1) nominate two persons for election as trustees at the 2007 annual shareholder meeting and (2) present a proposal to terminate the Fund's advisory agreement with RMR Advisers, Inc. Management responded by convincing the trustees to file a lawsuit to prevent us (or any public shareholder) from beneficially owning more shares of the Fund than RMR Advisers. It is clear from the Fund's court filings that management sees us as a threat to its domination of the Fund and to its fee stream. We believe the real reason for the lawsuit is to remove that threat. After all, would any manager that believes it has a fiduciary duty to shareholders prosecute a lawsuit like this one that will not increase the Fund's NAV by one pennybut could have, as management itself has admitted, a "materially adverse impact upon" the Fund's NAV?
We are conducting this solicitation in order to (1) get rid of a manager that places its own interest ahead of that of shareholders and refuses to even discuss measures to address the Fund's persistent double-digit discount, (2) elect trustees that will seriously consider such measures, and (3) bar the trustees from taking any action to limit shareholders from accepting a tender offer for a price that is greater than the Fund's market price. If (1) our nominees are elected and (2) there is no pending lawsuit opposing our tender offer (including the aforementioned lawsuit brought by the Fund) or legal impediment to our acquisition of additional shares, then we will commence a tender offer promptly after the Meeting to purchase all shares of the Fund's common stock at a price of 98% of NAV. Our second proposal seeks to bar the trustees from taking any action to prevent shareholders from accepting such a tender offer or to prevent us from buying or owning any shares that are tendered. How Proxies Will Be Voted If you wish to vote FOR the election of our nominees and/or to vote on our proposals, you may do so by completing and returning a GREEN proxy card to us or to our agent. Unless you direct otherwise, your shares will be voted FOR the election of our nominees and FOR our proposals. In addition, you will be granting the proxy holders discretionary authority to vote on any other matters that may come before the Meeting including matters relating to the conduct of the Meeting. Voting Requirements A trustee representing the preferred shareholders must be elected by the affirmative vote of a plurality of the Fund's preferred shares, voting as a class. A trustee representing all the shareholders must be elected by the affirmative vote of a plurality of the Fund's common shares and preferred shares, voting together as a class. The proposal to terminate the advisory agreement between RMR Advisers, Inc. and the Fund requires the lesser of the affirmative vote of (1) 67% of the shares present at the Meeting provided more than 50% of the Fund's outstanding shares are represented at the Meeting or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding shares. Abstentions will be treated as votes against the proposal. The proposal to bar the trustees from taking any action to limit the shareholders from accepting a tender offer above the market price will be approved if it receives the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast. Revocation of Proxies You may revoke any proxy prior to its exercise by: (i) delivering a written revocation to us; (ii) executing and delivering a later dated proxy; or (iii) voting in person at the Meeting or the Alternate Meeting described below. Attendance at the Meeting or Alternate Meeting will not in and of itself revoke a proxy. There is no limit on the number of times you may revoke your proxy before it is exercised. Only your latest dated proxy will be counted. PROPOSAL 1: ELECTION OF TRUSTEES
At the Meeting, we intend to nominate Andrew Dakos and Phillip Goldstein respectively for election as trustees by (1) the holders of preferred shares and (2) the holders of common and preferred shares, voting together as a single class. Each nominee has consented to being named in this proxy statement and to serve as a trustee if elected. Unless noted, each nominee is independent and neither personally owns shares or has any arrangement or understanding with any person with respect to any future employment by the Fund or by any affiliate of the Fund. We do not know of any material conflicts of interest that would prevent either nominee from acting in the best interest of the Fund. Please refer to the Fund's proxy soliciting material for additional information concerning the election of trustees. Andrew Dakos (born 1966); Park 80 West, Plaza Two, Suite C04, Saddle Brook, NJ 07663 - Mr. Dakos is a self-employed investment advisor and a principal of the general partner of three investment partnerships in the Bulldog Investors group of funds: Opportunity Partners L.P., Opportunity Income Plus Fund L.P., and Full Value Partners L.P. and President of Elmhurst Capital, Inc. an investment advisory firm. He has been a director of the Mexico Income and Equity Fund since 2001. Phillip Goldstein (born 1945); 60 Heritage Drive, Pleasantville, NY 10570 - Mr. Goldstein is an investment advisor and a principal of the general partner of three investment partnerships in the Bulldog Investors group of funds: Opportunity Partners L.P., Opportunity Income Plus Fund L.P., and Full Value Partners L.P. He has been a director of the Mexico Income and Equity Fund since 2000, Brantley Capital Corporation since 2001, the Emerging Markets Telecommunications Fund since 2005 and the First Israel Fund since 2005. Mr. Goldstein and his wife jointly beneficially own 6,000 common shares of the Fund which they purchased in May 2006. Mr. Dakos and Mr. Goldstein are principals of Kimball & Winthrop, Inc., the Managing General Partner of BIGP. Kimball & Winthrop beneficially owns 20,000 common shares of the Fund which it purchased in July 2006. Each nominee has consented to serve as a trustee if elected. There are no arrangements or understandings between BIGP and either nominee in connection with the nominations. PROPOSAL 2: THE ADVISORY AGREEMENT BETWEEN RMR ADVISERS, INC. AND THE FUND SHALL BE TERMINATED. The purpose of this proposal is to get rid of an investment advisor that places its own interest ahead of that of shareholders and refuses to even discuss measures to address the Fund's persistent double-digit discount. If the advisory agreement is terminated the board will have to determine whether to seek a new advisor, liquidate the Fund, seek a merger partner or to pursue some other option. Unless instructions to the contrary are given, your proxy will be voted in favor of this proposal. PROPOSAL 3: NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION IN THE FUND'S ORGANIZING DOCUMENTS TO THE CONTRARY THE TRUSTEES SHALL NOT TAKE ANY ACTION THAT WOULD HAVE THE EFFECT OF LIMITING THE ABILITY OF SHAREHOLDERS TO TENDER THEIR SHARES AT A PRICE THAT IS GREATER THAN THE FUND'S STOCK PRICE. We will commence a tender offer promptly after the Meeting to purchase all shares of the Fund's common stock at 98% of NAV if (1) our nominees are elected and (2) there is no pending lawsuit opposing our tender offer (including the aforementioned lawsuit brought by the Fund) or legal impediment to our acquisition of additional shares.
The legal effect of this proposal is uncertain and management may refuse to allow a formal vote on it. Nevertheless, we believe that significant shareholder support for this proposal will be a mandate to the trustees and may preclude them from taking any action that would have the effect of preventing the consummation of our tender offer. Unless instructions to the contrary are given, your proxy will be voted in favor of this proposal. THE SOLICITATION Persons affiliated with or employed by BIGP or its affiliates may assist us in the solicitation of proxies. Banks, brokerage houses and other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries will be requested to forward this proxy statement and the enclosed GREEN proxy card to the beneficial owners of common and preferred shares for whom they hold shares of record. We will reimburse these organizations for their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses. Initially, we will bear all of the expenses related to this proxy solicitation. Because we believe that all shareholders will benefit from this solicitation, we intend to seek reimbursement of our expenses from the Fund. Shareholders will not be asked to vote on the reimbursement of our solicitation expenses which we estimate will be $10,000. There is no arrangement or understanding involving BIGP or any of our affiliates relating to future employment by or any future transaction with the Fund or any of its affiliates. Other than as set forth in this Proxy Statement, there are no contracts, arrangements, or understandings entered into by any of the participants in the solicitation or, to the participants' knowledge, any of their respective associates within the past year with any person with respect to any of the Fund's securities, including, but not limited to, joint ventures, loan or option arrangements, puts or calls, guarantees against loss or guarantees of profit, division or losses or profits, of the giving or withholding of proxies. In addition, except as set forth in the Proxy Statement, none of the participants in the solicitation or, to the participants' knowledge, any of their associates has entered into any agreement or understanding with any person with respect to: (i) any future employment by the Fund or its affiliates; or (ii) any futuretransactions to which the Fund or any of its affiliates will or may be a party. BIGP is the soliciting stockholder. As of February 2, 2007, BIGP beneficially owned 217,400 shares of the Fund, all of which were purchased between April 2005 and November 2006. As noted above, both of our nominees are affiliated with BIGP. On February 2, 2007, BIGP sold 125,000 shares of the Fund. February 6, 2007
PROXY CARD Proxy Solicited in Opposition to the Board of Trustees of RMR Hospitality & Real Estate Fund (The "Fund") by Bulldog Investors General Partnership ("BIGP") for the 2007 Annual Meeting of Shareholders The undersigned hereby appoints Phillip Goldstein, Rajeev Das, Andrew Dakos, and Tom Antonucci and each of them, as the undersigned's proxies, with full power of substitution, to attend the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of the Fund, Inc. and any adjourned or postponed Meeting, and to vote on all matters that come before the Meeting the number of shares that the undersigned would be entitled to vote if present in person, as specified below. (INSTRUCTIONS: Mark votes by placing an "x" in the appropriate [ ].) 1.ELECTION OF ONE TRUSTEE (Preferred Shares Only) [ ] FOR ANDREW DAKOS [ ] WITHHOLD AUTHORITY 2.ELECTION OF ONE TRUSTEE (Preferred and Common Shares) [ ] FOR PHILLIP GOLDSTEIN [ ] WITHHOLD AUTHORITY 3: THE ADVISORY AGREEMENT BETWEEN RMR ADVISERS, INC. AND THE FUND SHALL BE TERMINATED. FOR [ ]AGAINST [ ]ABSTAIN [ ] 4: NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION IN THE FUND'S ORGANIZING DOCUMENTS TO THE CONTRARY THE TRUSTEES SHALL NOT TAKE ANY ACTION THAT WOULD HAVE THE EFFECT OF LIMITING THE ABILITY OF SHAREHOLDERS TO TENDER THEIR SHARES AT A PRICE ABOVE THE FUND?S STOCK PRICE. FOR [ ]AGAINST [ ]ABSTAIN [ ] Please sign and date below. Your shares will be voted as directed. If no direction is made, this proxy will be voted FOR the election of the nominees named above and FOR Proposals 3 and 4. The undersigned hereby acknowledges receipt of the proxy statement dated February 6, 2007 of BIGP and revokes any proxy previously executed. Signature(s)___________________________________ Dated: _______________
Massachusetts
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811-21502
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20-0652062
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(State
or other jurisdiction of
Incorporation)
|
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(Commission
File No.)
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(IRS
Employer Identification No.)
|
EXHIBIT
NO.
|
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DESCRIPTION
|
99.1
|
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RMR
Hospitality and Real Estate Fund v. Bulldog Investors
General Partnership,
et al., Civ. A. No. 06-4054 (Mass. Super.
Ct.)
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