Note 14. Related Party Transactions

 

Change in Control Transaction

On November 19, 2013, 734 Agriculture, LLC (“734 Agriculture”) and its affiliates, including 734 Investors, LLC (“734 Investors”), completed the previously announced purchase from Alico Holding, LLC, a company wholly owned by Atlantic Blue Group, Inc. (“Atlanticblue”), of 3,725,457 shares of our common stock (the “Share Purchase”).

 

The common stock acquired by 734 Agriculture and its affiliates, including 734 Investors, represents approximately 51% of the Company's outstanding voting securities. On November 15, 2013, 734 Investors amended and restated its LLC operating agreement (the “LLC Agreement”) to admit new members and to designate 734 Agriculture as the managing member, with authority to administer the affairs of 734 Investors, including the voting and disposition of shares of common stock, subject to certain restrictions set forth therein. As a result, upon the consummation of the Share Purchase, 734 Agriculture and its affiliates, including 734 Investors, acquired the voting power to control the election of the Company's Directors and any other matter requiring the affirmative vote or consent of the Company's shareholders.

 

Appointment of Directors; Resignation of Directors

 

With the Closing of the Share Purchase, the previously announced election of the following individuals to the Board of Directors became effective: Mr. George R. Brokaw, Member of 734 Agriculture; Remy W. Trafelet, Manager of 734 Agriculture; W. Andrew Krusen, Jr., Chairman and CEO of Dominion Financial Group; Benjamin D. Fishman, Managing Principal of Arlon Group; Henry R. Slack, former Chairman of the Board of Terra Industries, Inc. and Senior Partner of Quarterwatch, LLC; Clayton G. Wilson, former CEO of 734 Citrus Holdings, LLC d/b/a Silver Nip Citrus (“Silver Nip”) and Chairman of the Board of Latt Maxcy Corporation; and R. Greg Eisner, Head of Strategy of Dubin & Company, LLC.

 

Ramon A. Rodriguez remained on, and continues to serve as a member, of the Board of Directors. In addition, Adam D. Compton, who previously resigned subject to and effective upon the Closing of the Share Purchase, was re-elected to the Board of Directors on November 22, 2013.

 

Upon the Closing of the Share Purchase, the following individuals ceased to be Directors of the Company pursuant to their previously disclosed resignations: JD Alexander, Dykes Everett, Thomas H. McAuley, Charles L. Palmer, John D. Rood, and Gordon Walker, PhD. Mr. Robert J. Viguet, Jr. resigned from the Board on November 21, 2013.

 

Appointment of Mr. Wilson as the Company's Chief Executive Officer

 

Upon the Closing of the Share Purchase, Mr. Alexander ceased to be the Company's CEO pursuant to his previously disclosed resignation. On November 22, 2013, the Board appointed Mr. Wilson to serve as the CEO, effective immediately.

 

734 Investors and 734 Agriculture

 

On November 19, 2013, 734 Agriculture and its affiliates, including 734 Investors, acquired all of the approximately 51% of Alico's common stock then owned by Atlanticblue. 734 Investors now beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, approximately 51% of the outstanding shares of the Company's common stock and possesses the voting power to control the election of the Company's Directors and any other matter requiring the affirmative vote or consent of the Company's shareholders. 734 Agriculture is the sole managing member of 734 Investors. By virtue of their ownership percentage, 734 Investors and 734 Agriculture are able to elect all of the Directors and, consequently, control Alico. Messrs. Brokaw and Trafelet are the two controlling persons of 734 Agriculture.

 

734 Citrus Holdings, LLC, d/b/a Silver Nip

 

On November 22, 2013, the Company entered into an employee lease agreement with Mr. Wilson and Silver Nip (the “Silver Nip Agreement”). Silver Nip is owned and controlled by Messrs. Brokaw, Trafelet and Wilson.

 

The Silver Nip Agreement provides, subject to the terms and conditions set forth therein, for the Company to furnish Mr. Wilson's services to Silver Nip to perform the functions and services that Mr. Wilson has previously performed for Silver Nip prior to his resignation as CEO of Silver Nip. The Silver Nip Agreement provides that Mr. Wilson will spend a majority of his working time performing functions and services for the Company and that in no event will Mr. Wilson be required to take any action that he or the Company determines could conflict with Mr. Wilson's exercise of his fiduciary duties under applicable law owed to the Company or could interfere with the performance of his duties as an executive officer of the Company. In exchange for furnishing Mr. Wilson's services, Silver Nip has agreed to pay to the Company the cash salary that would have been paid to Mr. Wilson pursuant to his previous employment arrangement with Silver Nip, had that arrangement continued to be in force.

 

The Silver Nip Agreement provides that if neither the Company nor Silver Nip has provided the other with written notice of an intention to terminate the Silver Nip Agreement at least three business days before the month's end (or any subsequent renewal period), the Silver Nip Agreement will automatically renew for a one-month period. In addition, Silver Nip may terminate the Silver Nip Agreement at any time upon 10 business days' prior written notice to the Company. As of September 30, 2014 neither the Company nor Silver Nip has provided written notice to terminate the Silver Nip Agreement. The description of the Silver Nip Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete terms and conditions of the agreement, which is listed as an exhibit to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K filed on November 25, 2013. In the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014, the Company has received  $128,000 under this agreement.

 

Atlanticblue

 

Prior to the Share Purchase transaction on November 19, 2013, Atlanticblue owned approximately 51% of Alico's common stock. By virtue of its ownership percentage, Atlanticblue was able to elect all of the Directors and, consequently, control Alico. JD Alexander resigned March 31, 2012 as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Atlanticblue and did not stand for re-election as a Director at the June 2012 Atlanticblue shareholders meeting. In February 2010, JD Alexander was appointed Alico's President and Chief Executive Officer, and he served on Alico's Board of Directors. Robert J. Viguet, Jr., a former Alico Director, did not stand for re-election as a Director of Atlanticblue at its June 2012 shareholders meeting. Dykes Everett was elected to the Alico Board of Directors at Alico's February 2013 shareholders meeting; he was nominated by Atlanticblue. 

 

Alico Fruit Company (“Alico Fruit”) marketed citrus fruit for TRI-County Grove, LLC at the customary terms and rates the Company extends to third parties. During the three and nine months ended June 30, 2013, Alico Fruit marketed 55,948 and 201,802 boxes of fruit, for approximately $600,000 and $1,907,000, respectively. Alico Fruit no longer provides marketing and/or purchases citrus fruit from TRI-County Grove, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlanticblue.

 

JD Alexander

 

On November 6, 2013, JD Alexander tendered his resignation as Chief Executive Officer and as an employee of the Company, subject to and effective immediately after the Closing of the Share Purchase transaction on November 19, 2013. Mr. Alexander's resignation includes a waiver of any rights to any payments under his Change-in-Control Agreement with the Company. On November 6, 2013, the Company and Mr. Alexander also entered into a Consulting and Non-Competition Agreement under which (i) Mr. Alexander will provide consulting services to the Company during the two-year period after the Closing, (ii) Mr. Alexander agreed to be bound by certain non-competition covenants relating to the Company's citrus operations and non-solicitation and non-interference covenants for a period of two years after the Closing, and (iii) the Company will pay Mr. Alexander for such services and covenants $2,000,000 in twenty-four monthly installments. Mr. Alexander also agreed, in a separate side letter with the Company, not to sell or transfer the shares that were awarded pursuant to his Restricted Stock Award Agreement (other than to a family trust) for a period of two years after the Closing. Mr. Alexander also executed a general release in favor of the Company.

 

Other

 

Mr. Charles Palmer, who served as a member of the Board until his resignation became effective on November 19, 2013, leases approximately 2,300 acres from the Company for recreational purposes. He pays approximately $33,000 annually at the customary terms and rates the Company extends to third parties.