ý
|
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 § 240.14a-12
|
Hartman
Commercial Properties REIT
|
(Name
of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
|
|
Allen
R. Hartman
|
Hartman
Management, L.P.
|
(Name
of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the
Registrant)
|
ý
|
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.
|
(1)
|
Amount
Previously Paid:
|
|
(2)
|
Form,
Schedule or Registration Statement No.:
|
(3)
|
Filing
Party:
|
|
(4)
|
Date
Filed:
|
· |
the
removal without cause of James C. Mastandrea, Chand Vyas,
Jack L.
Mahaffey, and Chris A. Minton from the REIT's Board of Trustees
and any
other person or persons (other than the persons elected pursuant
to this
proposed action by written consent) elected or appointed
to the Board of
the REIT prior to the effective date of these Proposals to
fill any
newly-created directorship or vacancy on the Board;
and
|
· |
the
appointment of Allen R. Hartman, Larry Bouffard, Lynch Butler,
Devinder N.
Mahajan , John G. Ostroot, and William M. Ramsey, to serve
as members of
the Board to fill four of the newly-created vacancies and
two existing
vacancies on Board (the "Nominees");
|
1. |
If
you hold your shares in your own name, please mark, sign, date
and mail
the enclosed WHITE consent card to D.F. King & Co., Inc in the
postage-paid envelope provided.
|
2. |
If
your shares are held in the name of a brokerage firm, bank nominees
or
other institution, only it can execute a consent representing
your shares
and only on receipt of your specific instructions. Accordingly,
you should
contact the person responsible for your account and give instructions
for
a WHITE consent card to be signed representing your shares. We
urge you to
confirm in writing your instructions to the person responsible
for your
account and provide a copy of those instructions to us in care
of D.F.
King & Co., Inc so that we will be aware of all instructions given and
can attempt to ensure that those instructions are
followed.
|
· |
the
removal without cause of James C. Mastandrea, Chand Vyas, Jack
L.
Mahaffey, and Chris A. Minton from the REIT’s Board of Trustees and any
other person or persons (other than the persons elected pursuant
to this
proposed action by written consent) elected or appointed to the
REIT’s
Board of Trustees (the “Board”)
prior to the effective date of these Proposals to fill any newly-created
directorship or vacancy on the Board; and
|
· |
the
appointment of Allen R. Hartman, Larry A. Bouffard, Lynch Butler,
Devinder
N. Mahajan, John G. Ostroot, and William M. Ramsey, to serve
as members of
the Board to fill four of the newly-created vacancies and two
existing
vacancies on Board (the "Nominees").
|
QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS ABOUT THIS CONSENT SOLICITATION
|
4
|
THE
CONSENT LITIGATION
|
15
|
THE
STATE COURT LITIGATION
|
25
|
INFORMATION
CONCERNING ALLEN R. HARTMAN AND HARTMAN MANAGEMENT, L.P. AND
THE
NOMINEES
|
26
|
ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION
|
27
|
PROPOSAL
NO. 1: REMOVAL OF JAMES C. MASTANDREA, CHAND VYAS, JACK L. MAHAFFEY,
AND
CHRIS A. MINTON
FROM
THE REIT'S
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
|
28
|
PROPOSAL
NO. 2: ELECTION OF NOMINEES
|
28
|
VOTING
SECURITIES
|
29
|
APPRAISAL
RIGHTS
|
30
|
SOLICITATION
OF CONSENTS
|
30
|
CONSENT
PROCEDURE
|
30
|
REVOCATION
PROCEDURE
|
31
|
SPECIAL
INSTRUCTIONS
|
31
|
Q: |
WHO
IS MAKING THE SOLICITATION?
|
A:
|
In
addition to the Nominees (who are Allen R. Hartman, Larry
Bouffard, Lynch
Butler, Devinder N. Mahajan , John G. Ostroot, and William
M. Ramsey) the
participants in this consent solicitation (the “Participants")
are Allen R. Hartman and Hartman Management, L.P.
|
Allen
R. Hartman, age 54, founded the REIT in 1998 and served as
its president,
secretary and chairman of the Board of the REIT until October
2, 2006,
when he was removed from his positions as Chief Executive
Officer,
Secretary and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the REIT.
Mr. Hartman
is also the sole limited partner of the REIT’s former advisor and property
manager, Hartman Management, L.P. (“Hartman
Management”),
as well as the president, secretary, manager and sole member
of the
general partner of the Hartman Management. Since 1984, Mr.
Hartman, as an
individual general partner, has been the sponsor of 18 private
limited and
general partnerships that have invested in commercial real
estate in
Houston, San Antonio and Dallas, Texas. Mr. Hartman has over
30 years of
experience in the commercial real estate
industry.
|
On
August 20, 1998, the REIT was formed as a real estate investment
trust,
pursuant to the Texas Real Estate Investment Trust Act, to
consolidate and
expand the real estate investment strategy of Mr. Hartman
in acquiring and
managing retail, office/warehouse and office properties.
In July 2004, the
REIT changed its state of organization from Texas to Maryland
pursuant to
a merger of the REIT directly with and into a Maryland real
estate
investment trust formed for the sole purpose of the reorganization
and the
conversion of each outstanding common share of beneficial
interest of the
Texas entity into 1.42857 common shares of beneficial interest
of the
Maryland entity (now The Hartman REIT). The REIT serves as
the general
partner of Hartman REIT Operating Partnership, L.P. (the
“Operating
Partnership”),
which was formed on December 31, 1998, as a Delaware limited
partnership.
The REIT currently conducts substantially all of its operations
and
activities through the Operating Partnership.
|
Limited
partners in the Operating Partnership hold limited partnership
interests
(“OP
Units”).
In connection with the reorganization discussed above, OP
Unit holders
received 1.42857 OP Units for each OP Unit previously held.
Distributions
to OP Unit holders are paid at the same rate per unit as
dividends per
share of the REIT. OP Units holders have the right to require
the
Operating Partnership to redeem their OP Units. The redemption
price is
based upon the market value of the Shares, based upon the
closing sales
price of the Shares, if traded on a national exchange, or
an appraised
value, if not so traded. Before any redemption, the REIT
may elect to
purchase the OP Units for cash or by delivering Shares at
a ratio of one
OP Unit for one Share. As of March 31, 2006, there were 14,793,289
OP
Units outstanding, of which The Hartman REIT and Mr. Hartman
own 8,984,952
and 2,291,859.074 OP Units,
respectively.
|
In
addition to his OP Unit ownership, Mr. Hartman is the single
largest
shareholder in the REIT, owning beneficially 301,992.926
Shares
(approximately 3.2% of the outstanding Shares). As set forth
in the REIT’s
Proxy Statement, dated May 1, 2006, filed pursuant to Section
14(A) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Mr. Hartman’s economic interest in The
Hartman REIT is approximately 22% of the outstanding Shares.
Therefore,
Mr. Hartman has a substantial congruency of interest with
the other
shareholders to maximize the long-term value of the Shares.
|
Q: |
WHAT
ARE YOU ASKING THAT THE COMMON SHAREHOLDERS CONSENT
TO?
|
A:
|
We
are asking you to act by written consent to approve the two
Proposals.
Proposal 1 seeks to remove four members of the Board of Trustees
named in
the proposal and Proposal 2 seeks to elect six individuals
to fill the
four vacancies resulting from Proposal 1 and the two existing
vacancies on
the Board. Each of the two Proposals is conditioned upon
the approval by
the common shareholders of the REIT of the other Proposal.
Thus, we will
not be seeking the removal of the four persons named above
from the REIT’s
current Board of Trustees unless the common shareholders
also approve the
appointment of the six Nominees.
|
Q:
|
WHY
IS THE CONSENT SOLICITATION CONDITIONAL UPON RULINGS BY THE
FEDERAL
COURT?
|
A:
|
On
November 29, 2006, the Hartman Parties filed a preliminary
consent
solicitation (the “Preliminary
Consent”)
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).
Upon effectiveness of the Preliminary Consent, the Hartman
Parties
intended to solicit consents to remove the existing Board
and propose a
new slate of trustees. At the time the Hartman Parties filed
the
Preliminary Consent with the SEC, the REIT’s governance documents provided
that the shareholders could act by consent and the removal
of directors
required only a simple majority. For a detailed discussion
of these
provisions, please see “Consent
Litigation”
on page 15.
|
· |
repeal
the REIT’s Bylaw provision which permitted shareholder action by written
consent;
|
· |
change
the Declaration of Trust that clearly provided that the term
of Trustees
is one year by creating a “staggered” board of six, two members in each of
three classes, each class with a three-year term, with the
members of one
of such classes up for election every year. Mr.
Mastandrea was appointed to serve a three-year term. No shareholder
has
ever voted for Mastandrea and, according to the Board, no shareholder
will
be permitted to until he has served for three years;
|
· |
create
a provision requiring a two-thirds vote of shareholders to
remove a
Trustee; and
|
· |
otherwise
restricting the rights of the shareholders to exercise their
right to vote
their shares by requiring for example that a shareholders meeting
can only
be called by holders of a majority of the shares.
|
Q: |
WHAT
IS THE BACKGROUND TO THE
SOLICITATION?
|
A:
|
Since
the REIT’s formation, Hartman Management has acted as the REIT’s advisor
and manager of the REIT’s day-to-day operations and portfolio of
properties. Hartman Management provided the advisory services
to The
Hartman REIT pursuant to an Advisory Agreement, dated as
of August 31,
2004 (the “Advisory
Agreement”),
and a Property Management Agreement, dated as of September
1, 2004 (the
“Management
Agreement”).
|
On
October 2, 2006, the Board removed Mr. Hartman as Chairman
and CEO. Under
the direction of Mr. Mastandrea, the REIT commenced litigation
against the
Hartman Parties by filing its Original Petition against Hartman
and
Hartman Management in the 333rd Judicial District Court,
Harris County,
Texas complaining of the alleged conduct of Hartman and Hartman
Management, in the litigation styled Hartman
Commercial Properties REIT, et al, vs. Allen R. Hartman,
et
al,
Cause No. 2006-63041, which lawsuit is pending in the District
Court of
Harris County, Texas (the “State
Court Action”).
As set forth in the Hartman Parties’ Original Counterclaim filed in the
State Court Action, the Hartman Parties believe that REIT
did incur
material termination penalties and liabilities as a result
of the
termination of the Property Management Agreement and the
Advisory
Agreement as well as the conduct subsequent to such termination.
A copy of
the Hartman’s Amended Counterclaim is available online at Hartman
Management’s website www.hartmanmgmt.com.
For description of the State Court Action, please see “State
Court Litigation”
on page 25.
|
On
October 25, 2006, the REIT sent a letter to the shareholders
informing the
shareholders that Hartman had been removed as Chairman and
CEO, that the
Advisory Agreement between the REIT and Hartman Management
was not
renewed, and that the Management Agreement between the REIT
and Hartman
Management was terminated. Thereafter, Hartman resigned from
the Board and
commenced the process of pursuing a consent solicitation
for purposes of
removing the existing Board and electing new Trustees
thereto.
|
1. |
Repealing
Article II, Section 13 of the Bylaws which permits shareholder
action by
written consent.
|
2. |
Repealing
Article II, Section 14 of the Bylaws in an attempt to preclude
Mr. Hartman
from voting shares in the REIT acquired by
him;
|
3. |
Electing
that the REIT would be subject to Sections 3-803, 3-804(a)
and (b) and
3-805 of Title 3, Subtitle 8 of the MGCL, providing for three
(3) classes
of Trustees with terms expiring on a staggered three year
basis, requiring
a two-thirds vote of shareholders to remove a Trustee and
otherwise
restricting the rights of the shareholders to exercise their
right to vote
their shares.
|
Q: |
WHAT
CONCERNS DO YOU HAVE ABOUT MR.
MASTANDREA?
|
A:
|
The
following examples from Mr. Mastandrea’s business record, among other
things, support our concerns:
|
1. |
The
Eagle Wings Bankruptcy. Eagle’s
Wings Aviation Corporation, an aviation services business,
where Mr.
Mastandrea served as Chief Executive Officer, was placed
into receivership
in September 2001 and filed for protection under Chapter
11 of the federal
bankruptcy laws, in March
2002.
|
2. |
Mastandrea’s
concurrently serving as President & CEO of two public companies with
potentially conflicting interests.
The REIT’s October 4, 2006 press release provides that “Mr.
Mastandrea also currently
serves as Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman
of the Board of
Paragon Real Estate Equity and Investment Trust (OTC BB:
symbol PRLE.OB)
(“Paragon”).”
Paragon is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. The Hartman
REIT is
headquartered in Houston, Texas. With fiduciary duties of
undivided
loyalty to both the REIT and Paragon, the Hartman Parties
believe that Mr.
Mastandrea has a conflict of interest as supported by the
facts detailed
below.
|
3. |
Mastandrea
has been compensated to serve as Paragon’s Chairman of the Board, Chief
Executive Officer and President until September 29,
2008.
|
4. |
The
Withdrawn Paragon Registration Statement.
On
January 27, 2006, under Mr. Mastandrea’s leadership, Paragon issued a
Press Release, headlined “Paragon
Receives Decision from American Stock Exchange.”
This Press Release and SEC filings indicate that Paragon
filed a
registration statement (SEC File No. 333-129219) in October
2005 to raise
$100 million in public equity. On January 20, 2006, approximately
three
months later, without selling any securities, Paragon’s registration
statement was withdrawn. In an April 12, 2006 Press release
regarding
Messrs. Mastandrea and John J. Dee’s, a fellow director, employment with
Paragon, Paragon stated:
|
5. |
The
Paragon De-listing.
On September 20, 2005, during Mr. Mastandrea’s leadership, Paragon
was notified by the American Stock Exchange (“Amex”) that it was not in
compliance with the continued listing requirements of
Section 1003(a)(iii) of the Amex Company Guide due to
shareholders’ equity of less than $6.0 million and losses from
continuing operations and net losses in its five most recent
years. On or
about January 27, 2006, Paragon was de-listed from the Amex.
|
6. |
Paragon’s
Market Value.
Under Mr. Mastandrea’s stewardship, the market value of Paragon’s stock
declined precipitously. The following graph illustrates the
almost (100%)
decline of Paragon stock price during a period in when the
S&P 500
Index increased by over 60%:
|
7. |
Paragon’s
Losses.
Paragon’s Form 10-QSB, for the quarterly period ended September 30,
2006,
indicates losses of $(341,144) and $(858,999) for the nine
month period
ending September 30, 2006 and 2005,
respectively.
|
8. |
Paragon
Is Now a Corporate Shell. As
of November 27, 2006, Paragon’s website described
Paragon as an “an
American Stock Exchange-listed real estate company focused on
acquiring, owning and operating multi-family and commercial
properties.
Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, the REIT is driven by a value-added
business plan…”
However, Note 3, Going Concern, to Paragon’s Form 10-QSB, for the
quarterly period ended September 30, 2006, indicates
otherwise:
|
9. |
Disgruntled
First Union Shareholders Ousted Mastandrea.
Mr. Mastandrea was ousted by disgruntled shareholders of First
Union Real
Estate Equity and Mortgage Investments, where the Schedule
14A
Information, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission,
provided:
|
· |
“EXPENSES
AND SALARIES ARE WAY OUT OF LINE!” First Union “selectively forgets to
mention that the stock price of other REITs has increased,
unlike
the Company (i.e. First Union). Moreover, the Company’s dividend was
cut, all while salaries, benefits and other expenses have gone
in the
opposite direction.”
|
·
|
The
dissident shareholders proxy Materials details in a section
styled
“Mr.
Mastandrea has Personally Benefitted at the Expense of First
Union
Shareholders,”
through significant option grants, restricted stock awards,
“golden
parachutes” and Company-paid memberships in several exclusive Cleveland
social clubs.
|
· |
Mr.
Mastandrea has continued to waste First Union’s “shareholder dollars on a
senseless lawsuit.” In the First Union case, Mr. Mastandrea secretly taped
a conversation between First Union’s lawyer and a third party. Ordering
that the secret tape be produced, a federal magistrate said,
that
“[i]f
a party behaves unethically or unprofessionally”
it is not entitled to keep the material.
|
Q: |
WHY
DO YOU BELIEVE THE HARTMAN TEAM IS THE BETTER
ALTERATIVE?
|
A:
|
Our
belief is based primarily upon the following three
factors:
|
· |
Our
extensive history of providing consistent cash
returns;
|
· |
Our
business strategy; and
|
· |
Our
experience.
|
Q: |
WHAT
IS YOUR HISTORICAL TRACK
RECORD?
|
· |
Number
of Properties:
37
|
· |
Total
Square feet: 3,121,033
|
· |
Number
of
Tenants:
767
|
· |
Annual
Revenue:
$
32,000,000
|
· |
Market
Value: $
171,000,000
|
Q: |
WHAT
IS YOUR STRATEGY GOING
FORWARD?
|
· |
Continue
Our Operating Strategy.
We will continue the fundamental strategy of regional Texas
focus,
diversification by property type and conservative capital
management. We
intend to focus primarily in the greater metropolitan statistical
areas of
Houston, the Dallas/Forth Metroplex Austin and San Antonio.
Our principal
objective will remain to invest in high quality properties
in prime
locations, then proactively manage, lease and develop ongoing
capital
improvement programs to improve their long-term economic
performance. We
intend to continue our focus on office buildings, industrial,
and retail.
We remain committed to providing The Hartman REIT shareholders
with
consistent cash distributions and increasing their long-term
shareholder
value through assembling a diversified portfolio of quality
properties.
|
· |
Roll-up
Hartman Management into the Hartman REIT
as a self-managed,
self-administered REIT with our new, fully
integrated management team.
We
intend to engage a qualified investment bank
to assist in the roll-up of
Hartman Management with The Hartman REIT.
We intend to form a Special
Committee of the Board of Directors to obtain
fairness opinions and
guidance from its own independent legal and
financial advisors to
facilitate this process. The Special Committee
will be charged with the
fiduciary duty to act in the best interest
of all of the REIT’s
shareholders.
|
· |
As
The Hartman’s REIT’s Single Largest Shareholder, Allen Hartman
Has The
Most To Gain From A Strategy That Maximizes
Long-Term Shareholder Value
And Not Waste Corporate Assets. Allen
Hartman owns a beneficially 301,992.926 shares
(approximately 3.2% of
outstanding Shares) and through the Operating
Partnership a potential 22%
interest, assuming that only Mr. Hartman’s OP Units are purchased and paid
for shares with Shares. As such, Mr. Hartman
has a substantial congruency
of interest with the other shareholders.
|
Q: |
WHO
ARE THE HARTMAN NOMINEES?
|
A:
|
The
principal occupation and business experience
of Allen R. Hartman, Larry
Bouffard, Lynch Butler, Devinder N. Mahajan
, John G. Ostroot, and William
M. Ramsey are set forth under the section
entitled "Proposal
No. 2 Election of Nominees,"
which we urge you to read.
|
Q: |
WHO
CAN ACT BY WRITTEN CONSENT ON THE
PROPOSALS?
|
A:
|
Common
shareholders on the "record date" for the
solicitation are entitled to act
by written consent on the Proposals. If the
Board of Trustees of the REIT
sets a record date for common shareholders
only common shareholders as of
that date are eligible to give written consent.
Such date may be the date
of the resolution fixing the record date
but may not be more then ten days
after such resolution. If no record date
is fixed by the Board, the date
for determining common shareholders entitled
to consent shall be the first
date on which a signed written consent is
delivered to the REIT, please
see "Consent
Procedure"
on page 16.
|
Q: |
WHEN
IS THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING
CONSENTS?
|
A:
|
We
urge you to sign, date and return your consent
card as soon as possible so
that the four directors we are seeking to
remove are removed and our
Nominees can be seated on the Board. In order
for our Proposals to be
adopted, the REIT must receive written unrevoked
consents signed by a
sufficient number of common shareholders
to adopt the Proposals within 60
calendar days of the date of the earliest
dated consent delivered to the
REIT. Because the Proposals will become effective
upon our delivery to The
Hartman REIT of valid and unrevoked consent
cards totaling more than 50%
of the outstanding Shares as of the record
date, and because this may
occur before the expiration of the 60-day
period, WE URGE YOU TO ACT
PROMPTLY to assure that your vote will
count.
|
Q: |
HOW
MANY CONSENTS MUST BE GRANTED IN FAVOR OF THE
PROPOSALS TO
ADOPT
THEM?
|
A:
|
Subject
to the approval of the Federal Court, these
Proposals will be adopted and
become effective when properly completed, unrevoked
consents are signed
and dated by the holders of a majority of the
Shares outstanding on the
record date for the solicitation as set forth
in "Consent Procedure" on
page 34, provided that such consents are delivered
to the REIT within 60
calendar days of the date of the earliest dated
consent delivered to the
REIT. The actual number of Shares necessary
to approve the Proposals will
depend on the number of Shares outstanding
on the record date, as set
forth in "Consent
Procedure"
on page 30.
|
Q: |
WHAT
SHOULD I DO TO CONSENT?
|
A:
|
Sign,
date and return the enclosed WHITE consent
card today to D.F. King &
Co., Inc. in the enclosed postage-paid envelope.
For your consent to be
valid, your consent card must be signed and
dated.
|
Q: |
WHAT
SHOULD I DO IF I DECIDE TO REVOKE MY
CONSENT?
|
A:
|
An
executed consent card may be revoked at any
time before the action
authorized by the executed consent becomes
effective by marking, dating,
signing and delivering a written revocation.
A revocation may be in any
written form validly signed by the record holder
as long as it clearly
states that the consent previously given is
no longer effective. A later
dated consent card that is properly completed
and delivered will revoke
any earlier dated consent. The revocation may
be delivered to the Hartman
Parties, c/o D.F. King & Co., Inc., 48 Wall Street, New York, NY
10005. We will promptly deliver any revocations
we receive to the REIT.
Although a revocation is effective if delivered
to the REIT, we request
that either the original or photostatic copies
of all revocations of
consents be mailed or delivered to D.F. King
& Co., Inc. at the
address set forth above, so that we will be
aware of all revocations and
can more accurately determine if and when valid
consents of a majority of
the outstanding Shares to the Proposals have
been received for this
consent solicitation.
|
Q: |
WHOM
SHOULD I CALL IF I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE
SOLICITATION?
|
A: |
Please
call D.F. King & Co., Inc. at (800) 628-8532 (toll-free). Banks
and
brokers may call
collect at (212) 269-5550.
|
· |
Repealing
Article II, Section 13 of the Bylaws which permits shareholder
action by
written consent.
|
· |
Repealing
Article II, Section 14 of the Bylaws in an attempt to preclude
Mr. Hartman
from voting shares in the REIT acquired by
him;
|
· |
Electing
that the REIT would be subject to Sections 3-803, 3-804(a)
and (b) and
3-805 of Title 3, Subtitle 8 of the MGCL, providing for three
(3) classes
of Trustees with terms expiring on a staggered three year basis,
requiring
a two-thirds vote of shareholders to remove a Trustee and otherwise
restricting the rights of the shareholders to exercise their
right to vote
their shares.
|
· |
With
the Advisory Agreement and the Management Agreement up for renewal
in the
fall, a meeting of the Board of Trustees was held on August 14,
2006. In
the meeting, the Advisory Agreement was renewed. However, the
Board’s
renewal violated the terms of the Advisory Agreement so as to
constitute a
breach of the Advisory Agreement. Specifically, the terms of
the Advisory
Agreement provide for
annual one year renewals, with a sixty (60) day notice provision
for
termination.
The Board, however, purported only to renew the agreement through
September 30, 2006, despite being made aware of the agreement’s
provisions.
|
· |
On
September 29, 2006, Hartman Management sent a letter to the Board
reminding the Board that as provided by paragraph 16(a) of the
Advisory
Agreement, upon termination of the Advisory Agreement, the HCP
REIT was
obligated to pay: (i) all unpaid reimbursements of expenses and
all earned
but unpaid fees payable to the advisor, and (ii) the Subordinated
Performance Fee. Despite the terms of the Advisory Agreement
and the
Board’s awareness of the fees due to Hartman Management upon termination
of the Advisory Agreement, the Board terminated the Advisory
Agreement, as
well as the Management Agreement. Under the direction of Messrs.
Good and
Mastandrea, the Trustees further resolved to remove Hartman as
Chairman of
the Board, CEO and Secretary of the REIT. Not coincidently, Mr.
Hartman
was replaced by Mr. Mastandrea and Mr. Dee was appointed Chief
Operating
Officer and Executive Vice President of Finance.
|
· |
Mr.
Mastandrea commented, “ It has been very challenging and costly to operate
Paragon as a public company…While Paragon is still trading on the Over the
Counter securities market, we
are looking for alternatives for the
Company.”
(emphasis added)
|
· |
Three
independent trustees (signed subscription agreements to purchase
125,000
Class C Convertible Preferred Shares for an aggregate contribution
of
$500,000 cash to maintain the Company as a corporate shell current in
its SEC filings so
that it may be used in the future for real estate deals or
sold to another
company.
During the third quarter of 2006, the Company received the first
quarterly installment of $125,000 from three trustees for payment
of Class
C Convertible Preferred Shares. There can be no assurance that
we will be
able to close a transaction or keep the Company currently filed with
the SEC. Even if our management is successful in closing a
transaction,
investors
may not value the transaction in the same manner as we did,
and investors
may not value the transaction as they would value other transactions
or
alternatives.
Failure to obtain external sources of capital and
complete a transaction will materially and adversely affect
the Company's
(Paragon's) ability to continue operations.
(emphasis added)
|
· |
Paragon’s
filings stating expressly provides that “it
may be used in the future for real estate deals or sold to
another
company.”
(emphasis
added) Also,
the filings underscore the likely
conflict:
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· |
Until
recently, Hartman Management provided advisory and property
management
services to the Hartman REIT pursuant to the Advisory Agreement
and the
Management Agreement. At the time the REIT entered into these
agreements,
the REIT Board of Trustees consisted of six members, including
Mr.
Hartman, Chris Minton, Jack Mahaffey, Chand Vyas, Terry Henderson
and Sam
Hawthorn.
|
· |
In
the fall of 2005, in connection with the IPO efforts, the REIT
retained
RBC Capital Markets (“RBC”) as its investment banker. RBC advised the REIT
what it would receive better pricing, and the IPO would be
more likely to
succeed, if the REIT were to acquire Hartman Management and
the various
affiliated entities that owned the real property. On August
11, 2005, the
Board formed a special committee for the purpose of structuring,
negotiating and approving a transaction pursuant to which the
REIT would
acquire Hartman Management in connection with an initial public
offering
(“IPO”) of the REIT’s common shares in order to fund the expansion of the
REIT through further acquisitions.
|
· |
In
making its proposal to purchase Hartman Management, the Board
ignored
Paragraphs 8(e) and 16 of the Advisory Agreement. Paragraph
8(e) provided
that if the REIT shares were listed on a national securities
exchange or
quoted on the Nasdaq National Market System, Hartman Management
would be
entitled to receive a Subordinated Incentive Fee. The Subordinated
Incentive Fee is an amount equal to 15.0% of the amount by
which (i) the
market value of the outstanding REIT shares, measured by taking
the
average closing price or average of bid and asked price, over
a period of
30 days during which the shares are traded, with such period
beginning 180
days after the listing (the “Market Value”, plus the total of all
distributions paid to shareholders from the REIT’s inception until the
date the Market Value is determined, exceed (ii) the sum of
(A) 100% of
invested capital and (B) the total distributions required to
be paid to
the shareholders in order to pay the shareholders’7% return from inception
through the date the Market Value is determined.
|
· |
Similarly,
Paragraph 16 of the Advisory Agreement, provided
that in the event the Advisory Agreement was
terminated,
Hartman Management was entitled to receive a Subordinated Performance
Fee.
The Subordinated Performance Fee was equal to (1) fifteen percent
(15%) of
the amount, in any, by which (a) the Appraised Value of the
Company’s
Properties at the Termination Date, less amounts of all indebtedness
secured by the Company’s Properties, plus total Distributions through the
Termination Date exceeds (b) the sum of Invested Capital, plus
Distributions attributable to New Sales. The Board knew that
the right to
receive the subordinated fees was a valuable asset of Hartman
Management.
|
· |
On
July 5, 2006, a special meeting of the Board of Trustees was
called for
the purpose of appointing Mr. Mastandrea to the Board, without
the need
for shareholder approval.
|
· |
The
Advisory Agreement and the Management Agreement were up for
renewal as of
August 31, 2006. A meeting of the Board of Trustees was held
on August 14,
2006. In the meeting, the Advisory Agreement was renewed. However,
the
Board’s renewal violated the terms of the Advisory Agreement so as
to
constitute a breach of the Advisory Agreement. Specifically,
the terms of
the Advisory Agreement provide for annual one year renewals,
with a sixty
(60) day notice provision for termination. The Board, however,
purported
only to renew the agreement through September 30, 2006, despite
being made
aware of the Advisory Agreement’s provisions.
|
· |
On
September 29, 2006, Hartman Management sent a letter to the
Board
reminding the Board that as provided by paragraph 16(a) of
the Advisory
Agreement, upon termination of the Advisory Agreement, the
HCP REIT was
obligated to pay: (i) all unpaid reimbursements of expenses
and all earned
but unpaid fees payable to the advisor, and (ii) the Subordinated
Performance Fee. Despite the terms of the Advisory Agreement
and the
Board’s awareness of the fees due to Hartman Management upon termination
of the Advisory Agreement, the Board terminated the Advisory
Agreement, as
well as the Management Agreement.
|
· |
has
had any relationship with the REIT in any capacity other than
as a
shareholder;
|
· |
has
any agreement, arrangement or understanding with respect to
any future
employment by the REIT or its
affiliates;
|
· |
has
any agreement, arrangement or understanding with respect to
future
transactions to which the REIT or any of its affiliates will
or may be a
party, or have any material interest, direct or indirect, in
any
transaction that has occurred since January 1, 2005 or any
currently
proposed transaction, or series of similar transactions, which
the REIT or
any of its affiliates was or is to be a party and in which
the amount
involved exceeds
$60,000;
|
· |
is,
and was not within the past year, party to any contract, arrangement
or
understandings with any person with respect to any securities
of the REIT,
including but not limited to, joint ventures, loan or option
arrangements,
puts or calls, guarantees against loans or guarantees of profit,
division
of losses or profits or the giving or withholding of proxies;
or
|
· |
is
a party adverse to the REIT or any of its subsidiaries or has
a material
interest adverse to the REIT or any of its subsidiaries in
any material
legal proceeding.
|
· |
Each
of the Nominees acknowledge that he has agreed to stand for
appointment as
a trustee of the REIT in connection with a consent solicitation
to remove
four directors of the REIT and to appoint the
Nominees.
|
· |
Hartman
Management, L.P. has agreed to pay the costs of the consent
solicitation.
|
· |
Hartman
Management, L.P. has agreed to indemnify each Nominee from
and against any
losses incurred by the Nominee arising from any action relating
to such
Nominee's role as a nominee, absent gross negligence or willful
misconduct.
|
1. |
The
removal without cause of James C. Mastandrea, Chand Vyas,
Jack L.
Mahaffey, and Chris A. Minton from the REIT's Board of Trustees
and any
other person or persons (other than the persons elected pursuant
to this
proposed action by written consent) elected or appointed
to the Board of
the REIT prior to the effective date of these Proposals to
fill any
newly-created directorship or vacancy on the
Board;
|
o
|
o
|
o
|
Consent
|
Withhold
Consent
|
Abstain
|
2. |
The
appointment of Allen R. Hartman, Larry A. Bouffard, Lynch Butler,
Devinder
N. Mahajan, John G. Ostroot, and William M. Ramsey to serve as
members of
the Board to fill four of the newly-created vacancies and two
existing
vacancies on the Board (the "Nominees");
|
o
|
o
|
o
|
Consent
|
Withhold
Consent
|
Abstain
|