Table of Contents
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K/A
Amendment No. 1
☒
ANNUAL REPORT UNDER SECTION 13 OR 15 (D) OF SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the fiscal year ended December 31 , 2022
or
☐
TRANSITION REPORT UNDER SECTION 13 OR 15 (D) OF SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from __________ to __________
Commission File Number 001-38868
Beam Global
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
Nevada
26-1342810
(State of Incorporation)
(IRS Employer ID Number)
5660 Eastgate Dr.
San Diego , California 92121
(858) 799-4583
(Address and telephone number of principal executive
offices)
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b)
of the Act:
Title of each class
Trading Symbol(s)
Name of principal U.S. market on which traded
Common stock, $0.001 par value
BEEM
Nasdaq Capital Market
Warrants
BEEMW
Nasdaq Capital Market
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g)
of the Act: None
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a
well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐ No ☒
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not
required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐ No ☒
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant
(1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15 (d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12
months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements
for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant
has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405
of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes
☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant
is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company
under Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller
reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer ☐
Accelerated filer ☐
Non-accelerated filer ☒
Smaller reporting company ☒
Emerging growth company ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check
mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting
standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant
has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial
reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262 (b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or
issued its audit report. ☐
If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b)
of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of
an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether any of those error
corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s
executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant
is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes ☐ No ☒
The aggregate market value of the voting common
stock held by nonaffiliates of the registrant as of June 30, 2021 (the last business day of the registrant’s most recently
completed second fiscal quarter) was $ 272,967,868
based upon the closing price of the shares on the NASDAQ Capital Market on that date. This calculation does not reflect a determination
that such persons are affiliates for any other purpose.
The number of registrant's shares of common stock,
$0.001 par value, issuable and outstanding as of April 28, 2023 was 10,760,195 .
Auditor
Name
Auditor
Location
Auditor
Firm ID
RSM US LLP
Los Angeles, California
49
EXPLANATORY NOTE: Beam
Global (the “Company”) files this Amendment No. 1 (“Amendment No. 1”) to the Company’s Annual
Report on Form 10-K, as filed by the Company on March 31, 2023 (the “Original Filing”), solely to amend and restate Part
III, Item 10 through Item 14, and to update Item 15. Except as otherwise stated herein, no other information contained
in the Original Filing has been updated by this Amendment No. 1. The information in this Amendment No. 1 does not modify or
update disclosures in the Original Filing (including the exhibits to the Original Filing, except for the updated Exhibits 31.1 and 31.2)
other than as set forth herein. The information required by Items 10-14 of Part III is no longer being incorporated by reference to the
proxy statement relating to the Company’s 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. In addition, as required by Rule 12b-15 promulgated
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, new certifications pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 by
the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer are filed herewith as exhibits to this Amendment No.
1. No attempt has been made in this Amendment No. 1 to modify or update the other disclosures presented in the 2022 Annual Report on
Form 10-K. This Amendment No. 1 does not reflect events occurring after the filing of the 2022 Annual Report on Form 10-K or modify or
update those disclosures that may be affected by subsequent events. Accordingly, this report is limited in scope to the items identified
above and should be read in conjunction with the 2022 Annual Report on Form 10-K.
i
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART III
ITEM 10
Directors, Executive Officers, and Corporate Governance
1
ITEM 11
Executive Compensation
8
ITEM 12
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters
15
ITEM 13
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence
17
ITEM 14
Principal Accounting Fees and Services
18
PART IV
ITEM 15
Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules
19
Signatures
20
ii
PART III
ITEM 10.
DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE.
Executive Officers and Directors
The following table sets forth the names,
ages and positions of our executive officers, directors, and director nominees (ages as of April 28, 2023):
Name
Age
Position
Desmond Wheatley
57
President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman
of the Board of Directors
Katherine McDermott
63
Chief Financial Officer
Sandra Peterson
60
Vice President of Sales and Marketing
Anthony Posawatz (1)(2)
63
Director
Peter Davidson (1)
63
Director
Nancy Floyd (1)
68
Director
______________________
(1)
Member of the Audit, Compensation and Nominating
& Governance Committees
(2)
Lead Independent Director
Biographies of Directors and Officers
Desmond Wheatley has
served as our president, chief operating officer, and secretary since September 2010. Mr. Wheatley was appointed chief executive officer
and director in August 2011, and he became the chair of our board of directors in December 2016. He is an inventor of the EV ARC™,
BeamTrak™, UAV ARC™ and EV Standard™. Mr. Wheatley has two decades of senior international management experience in
technology systems integration, energy management, communications and renewable energy. Prior to joining Beam Global, Mr. Wheatley was
a founding partner in the international consulting practice Crichton Hill LLC in 2009 and he was chief executive officer of iAxis FZ
LLC, a Dubai based alternative energy and technology systems integration company from 2007 to 2009. From 2000 to 2007, Mr. Wheatley held
a variety of senior management positions at San Diego-based Kratos Defense and Security Solutions, formally known as Wireless Facilities,
with the last five years as president of ENS, then the largest independent security and energy management systems integrator in the United
States. Prior to forming ENS in 2002, Mr. Wheatley held senior management positions in the cellular and broadband wireless industries,
deploying infrastructure and lobbying in Washington DC on behalf of major wireless service providers. Mr. Wheatley’s teams led
turnkey deployments of thousands of cellular sites and designed and deployed broadband wireless networks in many MTAs across the United
States. Mr. Wheatley has founded, funded, and operated four profitable start-up companies and was previously engaged in merger and acquisition
activities. Mr. Wheatley evaluated acquisition opportunities, conducted due diligence and raised commitments of $500 million in debt
and equity.
Katherine McDermott has
served as our chief financial officer since July 2019. From August 2017 until February 2019, Ms. McDermott served as chief financial
officer of Steico Industries, Inc., a subsidiary of Senior plc (LON: SNR). Prior to that, Ms. McDermott served as chief financial officer
for Genasys Inc. (NASDAQ: GNSS), formerly known as LRAD Corporation, from 2009 until July 2017. Ms. McDermott has also served as
the chief financial officer for National Pen Company from 2005 to 2006 and the vice president of finance for Lantronix, Inc., from 2000
to 2005. Ms. McDermott held a variety of senior financial positions with Bausch & Lomb from 1988 to 1999 and began her
career holding a number of financial positions with a component division of General Motors from 1982 to 1988. Ms. McDermott holds
a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from St. Bonaventure University and a Masters of Business Administration from the
William E. Simon School of Business Administration at the University of Rochester.
1
Sandra Peterson
has served as our Vice President of Sales and Marketing since January 2020. From February 2015 to December 2019, Ms. Peterson
led the AI and go-to-market strategy at Absolutdata, a leading AI and analytics company. Prior to that, she held leadership roles at
both early stage startups and Fortune 500 companies including Apple, Nvidia, Adobe and Palm. Sandra holds a Bachelor of Science degree
in Management Science from the University of California at San Diego, and a Master’s degree in International Business from St.
Mary’s College of Moraga.
Anthony Posawatz has
served as a director of the Company since February 2016. He currently serves on our Audit, Compensation and Nominating Committees. Mr.
Posawatz has been an automotive industry professional for over 40 years. Since September 2013, Mr. Posawatz has served as the president
and chief executive officer of Invictus iCAR, LLC, an automotive innovation consulting and advisory firm focused on assisting energy
and auto clean technology companies. He served as the president, chief executive officer, and a director of Fisker Automotive from August
2012 to August 2013. Mr. Posawatz worked for General Motors (“GM”) for more than 30 years. As GM’s vehicle line director
for the Chevrolet Volt and key leader of global electric vehicle development, he was responsible for bringing the Chevrolet Volt from
concept to production (beginning in 2006 as a founding member and the first employee #1). He currently serves as a member of several
boards of directors, including INRIX, Lucid Group, Beam Global, Nanoramic Laboratories, Metalsa & Zapp EV. Mr. Posawatz is a licensed
professional engineer (P. E.) in Michigan and was both a General Motors Undergraduate Scholar at Wayne State University where he earned
a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, and a Graduate Fellow at Dartmouth College, Tuck School of Business where he
earned a Master of Business Administration degree.
Peter Davidson has
served as a director of the Company since September 2016. He currently serves on our Audit, Compensation and Nominating Committees. Since
2019, Mr. Davidson has been the chief executive officer and a director of Aligned Climate Capital LLC, an investment advisory firm focused
exclusively on investments in clean energy, efficient transportation, green real estate and sustainable natural resources. From 2016
to 2019, he was the chief executive officer for Aligned Intermediary, an investment advisory group created to help long-term investors
increase the flow of capital into capital infrastructure projects and clean energy companies. In May 2013, Mr. Davidson was appointed
by President Obama to serve as the executive director of the Loan Program Office (“LPO”) at the United States Department
of Energy, a position he held until June 2015. At the LPO, Mr. Davidson oversaw the program’s more than $30 billion portfolio of
loans and loan guarantees, making it the largest project finance organization in the United States government. Mr. Davidson was responsible
for ensuring that the LPO carried out its mission to accelerate the deployment of innovative clean energy projects and domestic advanced
vehicle manufacturing. Prior to leading the LPO, Mr. Davidson was the senior advisor for energy and economic development at the Port
Authority of New York and New Jersey (from 2012 to 2013) and was the executive director of New York State’s economic development
agency, the Empire State Development Corporation (from 2009 to 2011). From 1989 to 2014, Mr. Davidson was an entrepreneur who founded
and managed several separate companies in television and radio broadcasting, outdoor advertising, and traditional and digital marketing
services, with a focus on the Hispanic market. From 1986 to 1989, he was an executive in the investment banking division of Morgan Stanley
& Co. Since 2001, Mr. Davidson has also been the chairman of the JM Kaplan Fund, a New York City based philanthropic organization.
Under his leadership, grant making has focused on reducing New York City’s carbon footprint, supporting immigrant integration in
the U.S. and archeological conservation world-wide. Mr. Davidson is currently a director of First Eagle Investment Management. Mr. Davidson
received his Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard University in 1986 and his Bachelor of Arts degree from Stanford University
in 1981.
Nancy Floyd
has served as a director of the Company since April 2021. She currently serves on our Audit, Compensation and Nominating Committees.
Ms. Floyd has served since 1993 until December, 2021 as a Managing Director of Nth Power LLC, a venture capital firm she founded that
specializes in clean energy technology. From 1989 to 1993, Ms. Floyd joined and started the technology practice for the utility consulting
firm, Barakat and Chamberlain. From 1985 to 1988, Ms. Floyd was on the founding team and worked at PacTel Spectrum Services, a provider
of network management services which was sold to IBM. In 1982, Ms. Floyd founded and later served as Chief Executive Officer of NFC Energy
Corporation, one of the first wind development companies in the United States which was sold in 1985. From 1977 to 1980, Ms. Floyd served
as Director of Special Projects of Vermont Public Service Board (currently known as Vermont Public Utility Commission). Ms. Floyd has
also served on the boards of various organizations, including Chair of the Board and Chair of the Compensation Committee of Tempronics,
Inc. since 2014 until December 2021. She has been a member the Board of Directors and audit committee of First Fuel Inc. from 2014 to
2019, Glasspoint Solar from 2014 to 2020, Chair of the Audit Committee of AltaGas Services and AltaGas Power Holdings (U.S.) Inc. (TSX:
ALA) from 2018 to 2019. Ms Floyd was a member of the Audit Committee for WGL Holdings (NYSE: WGL) from 2016 to 2019 and member of the
Governance Committee from 2011-2018, among others. Also, since 2017 until recently, Ms. Floyd served as Fund Advisor to Activate Capital
and, until recently served on the Investment Committee for The Christensen Fund. In March 2021, Ms. Floyd was appointed as a director
and member of the Audit Committee and the Finance and Risk Committee of Hannon Armstrong Sustainable Infrastructure Capital, Inc. (NYSE:
HASI). Ms. Floyd received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government from Franklin & Marshall College in 1976 and a Master of Arts
degree in Political Science from Rutgers University in 1977.
2
Each executive officer
serves at the discretion of our Board of Directors and holds office until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified or until
his or her earlier resignation or removal. There are no family relationships among any of our directors or executive officers.
Director Experience, Qualifications, Attributes and Skills
We believe that the backgrounds
and qualifications of our directors, considered as a group, provide a broad mix of experience, knowledge and abilities that will allow
the Board to fulfill its responsibilities. We believe that our Board is composed of a group of leaders in their respective fields. Many
of the current directors have executive experience at public companies, as well as experience serving on other companies’ boards,
which provides an understanding of different business processes, challenges and strategies facing other companies. Further, our directors
also have other experience that makes them valuable members and provides insight into issues relevant to the Company.
The following highlights
the specific experience, qualification, attributes and skills of our individual Board members, or nominees for the Board, that have led
our Nominating and Governance Committee and the Board to conclude that these individuals should serve on our Board:
Mr. Wheatley provides
leadership and industry experience to the Board of Directors gained by being our chief executive officer since August 2011 and president
since September 2010. Mr. Wheatley has held numerous executive positions in international organizations including five years as president
of a publicly traded technology and energy management company. Mr. Wheatley was the founding member of an international consulting company
with expertise in the renewable and energy sectors. He has held various executive level positions in multiple infrastructure deployment
companies and has been involved in energy management and renewables since 2002. Mr. Wheatley also provides the Board of Directors with
significant corporate finance experience.
Mr. Posawatz provides
leadership and industry experience to the Board of Directors gained by being the chief executive officer of several companies and leading
the development of several electric vehicle products including GM’s Chevrolet Volt.
Mr. Davidson provides
leadership and industry experience to the Board of Directors gained by holding executive level positions at multiple companies and by
serving as executive director of the Loan Program Office of the United States Department of Energy and the Empire State Development Corporation.
Mr. Davidson is also a non-resident fellow at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy and the chairman of the JM Kaplan
Fund, a New York City based philanthropic organization which provide grants to support reducing New York City’s carbon footprint.
Ms. Floyd provides leadership,
financial and industry experience to the Board of Directors gained by having extensive experience in the clean energy technology space.
Ms. Floyd has held numerous executive level and management positions in the clean energy technology space. Ms. Floyd also provides the
Board of Directors with accounting and financial experience.
Director Independence
Our Board of Directors
currently consists of four directors. Three of our directors are “independent” as defined in Rule 4200 of FINRA’s listing
standards and the NASDAQ Capital Market criteria. In accordance with the standards of the NASDAQ Capital Market, these directors are
considered “independent” because they are not employees or executive officers of the Company and have not been paid more
than $120,000 of compensation by the Company, other than for their service as members of our Board of Directors, in any consecutive 12-month
period during the past three years. Furthermore, they have no family members being paid compensation by the Company, and they do not
serve as directors or officers of any companies that conduct business with the Company as outside vendors or service providers. We plan
to appoint additional independent directors to our board of directors in the future.
3
Board Leadership Structure and Role in
Risk Oversight
Our Board of Directors
focuses on the most significant risks facing us and our general risk management strategy, and also ensuring that risks undertaken by
us are consistent with the Board’s appetite for risk. While the Board oversees our company’s risk management, management
is responsible for day-to-day risk management processes. We believe this division of responsibilities is the most effective approach
for addressing the risks facing us and that our Board leadership structure supports this approach.
Board Committees
Our Board of Directors
currently has an audit committee, a compensation committee, and a nominating and governance committee. The composition and responsibilities
of each of the committees of our Board of Directors are described below. Members serve on these committees until their resignation or
until otherwise determined by our Board of Directors.
Audit Committee .
The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors currently consists of three independent directors of which at least one, the Chairman
of the Audit Committee, qualifies as a qualified financial expert as defined in Item 407(d)(5)(ii) of Regulation S-K. Nancy Floyd is
the Chairman of the Audit Committee and financial expert, and Anthony Posawatz and Peter Davidson are the other members of the Audit
Committee. The Audit Committee's duties are to recommend to our Board of Directors the engagement of the independent registered public
accounting firm to audit our consolidated financial statements and to review our accounting and auditing principles. The Audit Committee
reviews the scope, timing and fees for the annual audit and the results of audit examinations performed by any internal auditors and
independent public accountants, including their recommendations to improve the system of accounting and internal controls. The Audit
Committee will at all times be composed exclusively of directors who are, in the opinion of our Board of Directors, free from any relationship
that would interfere with the exercise of independent judgment as a committee member and who possess an understanding of consolidated
financial statements and generally accepted accounting principles. The charter of the Audit Committee is available on our website at
www.beamforall.com.
Compensation Committee .
The Compensation Committee establishes our executive compensation policy, determines the salary and bonuses of our executive officers
and recommends to the Board stock option grants for our executive officers. Anthony Posawatz is the Chairman of the Compensation Committee,
and Peter Davidson and Nancy Floyd are the other directors who are members of the Compensation Committee. Each of the members are independent
under NASDAQ’s independence standards for compensation committee members. Our chief executive officer often makes recommendations
to the Compensation Committee and the Board concerning compensation of other executive officers. The Compensation Committee seeks input
on certain compensation policies from the chief executive officer. The charter of the Compensation Committee is available on our website
at www.beamforall.com.
Nominating and Governance
Committee . The Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for matters relating to the corporate governance of our Company
and the nomination of members of the Board and committees thereof. Peter Davidson is the Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee,
and Anthony Posawatz and Nancy Floyd are the other directors who are members of the Committee. Each of the members are independent under
NASDAQ’s independence standards. The charter of the Nominating and Governance Committee is available on our website at www.beamforall.com.
Board Meetings and Director Communications
In 2022, the Board of
Directors held 7 meetings and each director attended at least 75% of the aggregate of (i) the total number of meetings of the Board
of Directors held during the period for which he has been a director and (ii) the total number of meetings held by all committees
of the Board of Directors on which he served during the periods that he or she served. Although we have no formal policy regarding director
attendance at annual meetings, we encourage all directors to attend.
4
Stockholders and other
interested parties may communicate with the non-management members of the Board of Directors by mail sent to the Company’s Corporate
Secretary, addressed to the intended recipient and care of the Corporate Secretary. The Corporate Secretary will review all incoming
stockholder communications (except for mass mailings, job inquiries, business solicitations and patently offensive or otherwise inappropriate
material) and route such communications as appropriate to member(s) of the Board of Directors. For a more detailed description of stockholder
communications, see “Communications with Our Board of Directors.”
Considerations in Evaluating Director Nominees
Our nominating and governance
committee uses a variety of methods for identifying and evaluating director nominees. In its evaluation of director candidates, our nominating
and governance committee will consider the current size and composition of our Board of Directors and the needs of our Board of Directors
and the respective committees of our Board of Directors. Some of the qualifications that our nominating and governance committee considers
include, without limitation: issues of character, integrity, and judgment; independence; diversity, including diversity of experience;
experience in corporate management, operations, finance, business development, and mergers and acquisitions; experience relevant to the
Company’s industry; experience as a board member or executive officer of another publicly held company; length of service; and
any other relevant qualifications, attributes, or skills. Nominees also must have the ability to offer advice and guidance to our Chief
Executive Officer based on past experience in positions with a high degree of responsibility and should be leaders in the companies or
institutions with which they are affiliated. Director candidates must have sufficient time available in the judgment of our nominating
and governance committee to perform all Board of Directors responsibilities and responsibilities of those committees on which they serve.
Members of our Board of
Directors are expected to prepare for, attend, and participate in all Board of Directors and applicable committee meetings. Other than
the foregoing, there are no stated minimum criteria for director nominees, although our nominating and governance committee may also
consider such other factors as it may deem, from time to time, are in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders.
The policy of our nominating
and governance committee is to consider properly submitted stockholder recommendations for candidates for membership on the Board. In
evaluating such recommendations, the nominating and governance committee will address the membership criteria set forth above. After
completing its review and evaluation of director candidates, our nominating and governance committee recommends to our full Board of
Directors the director nominees for selection.
Although our Board of
Directors does not maintain a specific policy with respect to board diversity, our Board of Directors believes that it should be a diverse
body, and our nominating and governance committee considers a broad range of backgrounds and experiences. In making determinations regarding
nominations of directors, our nominating and governance committee may take into account the benefits of diverse viewpoints. Our nominating
and governance committee also considers these and other factors as it oversees the annual Board of Directors and committee evaluations.
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics
We have adopted a Code
of Business Conduct and Ethics that is applicable to all of our employees, officers, and directors, including our Chief Executive Officer,
Chief Financial Officer and other executive and senior financial officers. A copy of our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics is available
in the Investors Relations section of our website at beamforall.com under “Governance Documents.”
Board Leadership Structure
The Board has not adopted
a specific policy on whether the same person should serve as both the Chief Executive Officer and Chair of the Board or, if the roles
are separate, whether the chair should be selected from the non-employee directors or should be an employee. The Board believes it is
appropriate to retain the discretion and flexibility to make these determinations from time to time as needed to provide appropriate
leadership for the Company. At this time, the Board believes that a combined role of Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer,
along with Board committees that are chaired by independent directors is the appropriate leadership structure for the Company at this
time. The combined role fosters open communication between the Board and management team, provides both groups with unified leadership
and promotes efficient development and execution of the Company’s strategic plan. The board appointed Anthony Posawatz as its lead
independent director on April 16, 2021.
5
The independent directors
meet as frequently as they desire, but at least once per year, in an executive session.
Board’s Role in Risk Oversight
In addition to the responsibilities
performed by our audit committee, the Board of Directors plays an active role in overseeing management of the Company’s risks.
The Board of Directors focuses on the most significant operational risks facing our Company related to our business, assets, and liabilities,
as well as our key financial risks, such as credit risk, interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and other market-related risk. Our Board
seeks to ensure that risks undertaken by the Company are consistent with an overall risk profile that is appropriate for the Company
and the achievement of its business objectives and strategies. The Board of Directors recognizes that risk management and oversight comprise
a dynamic and continuous process and therefore reviews the Company’s risk model and process periodically. The Board of Directors
performs these tasks both in collaboration with and independently of the audit committee and Company management.
Non-Employee Director Compensation
The following table summarizes
compensation paid to our non-employee directors during the year ended December 31, 2022. Directors who are also our employees receive
no additional compensation for their service as a director. During the year ended December 31, 2022, Mr. Wheatley, our current President
and Chief Executive Officer, was an employee. Compensation for Mr. Wheatley is discussed in “Executive Compensation.”
Name
Fees Earned or Paid in Cash (1)
Restricted Stock Awards (2)
Total
Anthony Posawatz
$ 23,000
$ 96,250
$ 119,250
Peter Davidson
$ 23,000
$ 68,750
$ 91,750
Nancy Floyd
$ 23,500
$ 68,750
$ 92,250
________________
(1)
Represents
the cash quarterly retainer and the meeting attendance fees earned by the non-employee directors.
(2)
Represents the aggregate
grant date fair value for restricted stock awards granted during 2022, computed in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. For a discussion
of the valuation assumptions used in the calculations, see Note 11 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, included in Part
IV, Item 15 of our Form 10-K.
Non-Employee Director Compensation Policy
Cash Compensation
Each non-employee director
received a quarterly cash retainer of $5,000 for serving on our Board of Directors. The retainer is payable in arrears, subject to such
director’s continued service on the last day of the preceding quarter and prorated as necessary to reflect service commencement
or termination during the quarter. In addition, each non-employee director receives the following amount for each regular meeting of
the Board attended: (i) $1,000 if attendance is in person or (ii) $500 if attendance is through remote means (e.g., attending
by telephone).
All directors are reimbursed
for reasonable expenses incurred in connection with attendance at board or committee meetings.
6
Equity Compensation
On October 1 of each year,
each non-employee director will be granted a certain number of shares of restricted common stock equal to $100,000 (or $140,000 for our
independent lead director) divided by the average daily closing price of our common stock for the preceding year. The restricted common
stock vests quarterly in four (4) equal installments.
Delinquent Section 16(a) Reports
Section 16(a) of
the Exchange Act requires directors, certain officers, and ten percent (10%) stockholders to file reports of ownership and changes
in ownership with the SEC. Based upon a review of filings with the SEC and/or written representations that no other reports were required,
we believe, except as set forth below, that all reports for the Company’s officers and directors that were required to be filed
under Section 16 of the Exchange Act were timely filed in 2022:
· Form
3 reporting the initial securities ownership of Townsend AC, LLC for shares acquired on March
4, 2022.
· Form
4s reporting restricted stock awards granted to each of Anthony Posawatz, Nancy Floyd and
Peter Davidson on October 3, 2022.
· Form
4 reporting a restricted stock award granted, and the withholding of a portion of that award,
to Desmond Wheatley on November 10, 2022.
7
ITEM 11.
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION.
Compensation Discussion and Analysis
The following Compensation
Discussion and Analysis describes the material elements of compensation for our executive officers identified in the Summary Compensation
Table (“Named Executive Officers”), and executive officers that we may hire in the future.
Processes and Procedures for Compensation Decisions
Our compensation committee
is responsible for the executive compensation programs for our executive officers and reports to the Board of Directors on its discussions,
decisions and other actions. Our Chief Executive Officer makes recommendations to our compensation committee, attends committee meetings,
and is involved in the determination of compensation for the respective executive officers that report to him, except that our Chief
Executive Officer does not make recommendations as to his own compensation. Additionally, our Chief Executive Officer makes recommendations
to our compensation committee regarding short- and long-term compensation for all executive officers (other than himself) based on our
results, an individual executive officer’s contribution toward these results, and performance toward individual goal achievement.
Our compensation committee then reviews the recommendations and other data and makes decisions as to total compensation for each executive
officer other than the Chief Executive Officer, as well as each individual compensation component. Our compensation committee makes recommendations
to the Board of Directors regarding compensation for our Chief Executive Officer. The independent members of the Board of Directors make
the final decisions regarding executive compensation for our Chief Executive Officer.
The compensation committee
is authorized to retain the services of one or more executive compensation advisors, as it sees fit, in connection with the establishment
of our compensation programs and related policies.
Compensation Program Objectives and Rewards
Our compensation philosophy
is based on the premise of attracting, retaining, and motivating exceptional leaders, setting high goals, working toward the common objectives
of meeting the expectations of customers and stockholders, and rewarding outstanding performance. Following this philosophy, we consider
all relevant factors in determining executive compensation, including the competition for talent, our desire to link pay with performance,
the use of equity to align executive interests with those of our stockholders, individual contributions, teamwork, and each executive’s
total compensation package.
The compensation received
by our Named Executive Officers is based primarily on their experience and knowledge as well as their responsibilities and individual
contributions to the Company. In addition, the Compensation Committee conducted a compensation benchmarking study in 2022 with an independent,
credible consultant to provide guidance on compensation for members of the executive team, including the Named Executive Officers. This
study provided data and recommendations for a competitive pay structure.
The primary purpose of
the compensation and benefits we consider is to attract, retain, and motivate highly talented individuals who will engage in the behavior
necessary to enable us to succeed in our mission, while upholding our values in a highly competitive marketplace. Different elements
are designed to engender different behaviors, and the actual incentive amounts which may be awarded to each Named Executive Officer are
subject to the annual review of our compensation committee who will make recommendations regarding compensation to our Board of Directors.
The following is a brief description of the key elements of our planned executive compensation structure.
·
Base
salary and benefits are designed to attract and retain employees over time.
·
Incentive compensation
awards are designed to focus employees on the business objectives for a particular year.
8
·
Equity incentive awards,
such as stock options and non-vested stock, focus executives’ efforts on the behaviors within the recipients’ control
that they believe are designed to ensure our long-term success as reflected in increases to our stock prices over a period of several
years, growth in our profitability and other elements.
·
Severance and change
in control plans are designed to facilitate a company’s ability to attract and retain executives as we compete for talented
employees in a marketplace where such protections are commonly offered.
Benchmarking
In 2022, we utilized a
third-party to conduct a compensation benchmarking study to provide guidance in the development of our executive compensation. When making
compensation decisions, our Board of Directors may compare each element of compensation paid to our Named Executive Officers against
a report showing comparable compensation metrics from a group that includes both publicly traded and privately held companies. Our Board
believes that while such peer group benchmarks are a point of reference for measurement, they are not necessarily the only factor in
setting executive compensation. Each executive officer’s compensation relative to the benchmark varies based on the scope of responsibility
and time in the position. Due to the size of our company, it is difficult to collect information pertaining to a formal peer group for
this purpose. We used data across a broader range of companies and will tighten our peer group over time.
The Elements of Our Compensation Program
Base Salary
Executive officer base
salaries are based on job responsibilities and individual contribution. Our Board of Directors reviews the base salaries of our executive
officers, including our Named Executive Officers, considering factors such as corporate progress toward achieving objectives (without
reference to any specific performance-related targets) and individual performance experience and expertise. Additional factors reviewed
by our Board of Directors in determining appropriate base salary levels and raises include subjective factors related to corporate and
individual performance.
Incentive Compensation Awards
A bonus plan was established
for the services of our named executive officers for 2022 and 2021. Bonus targets were set as a percentage of base pay of 100% for the
Chief Executive Officer and 20% for the Chief Financial Officer. Goals for 2022 included: (1) the growth in our revenue, (2) improved
gross margin (3) acquisitions that will benefit the Company, (4) strong investor outreach, (5) filling key positions at the Company and
other specific goals for these individuals. Goals for 2021 included (1) the growth in our revenue, (2) the closing of public offerings,
(3) development of large business opportunities, (4) strong investor outreach, (5) filling key positions at the Company other specific
goals for these individuals. Payment for bonuses pertaining to 2022 is expected to be made in the second quarter of 2023. Payment for
bonuses pertaining to 2021 was made in 2022.
Equity Incentive Awards
In order to provide an
incentive to attract and retain directors, officers, and other employees whose services are considered valuable, to encourage a sense
of proprietorship and to stimulate an active interest of such persons in our development and financial success, on August 10, 2011, the
Company adopted an equity incentive plan (the “2011 Plan”), pursuant to which 630,000 shares of our common stock are currently
reserved for issuance as awards to employees, directors, consultants and other service providers. This 2011 Plan was ratified by our
shareholders at the 2012 annual shareholders meeting. On June 9, 2021, the Company’s stockholders approved the Beam Global 2021
Equity Incentive Plan (the “2021 Plan”) under which 2,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock are reserved to
be issued pursuant to the exercise of stock options or other awards granted under such plan in addition to the 630,000 shares previously
reserved under the Beam Global 2011 Stock Incentive Plan.
9
Benefits and Prerequisites
The Company offers paid
vacation and sick leave pay, in addition to a full range of benefits, including health care, dental, vision, life insurance and long-term
disability. The Company also offers a 401(k) Plan for savings and includes a company match up to 3% of pay for the Company’s employees.
We may adopt additional plans and confer other fringe benefits for our executive officers in the future if our business grows sufficiently
to enable us to afford them.
Summary Compensation Table
The following table provides
information regarding the compensation of our Named Executive Officers during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021.
Name and Principal Position
Fiscal Year
Salary
($)
Bonus ($)
Stock Awards ($)(1)
Option Awards ($)
Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation
($)
All Other Compensation ($)
Total ($)
Desmond Wheatley
2022
400,000
350,000
3,869,250
–
–
33,965
(2)
4,653,215
President and Chief
2021
300,000
75,000
112,500
–
–
–
487,500
Executive Officer
Katherine McDermott
2022
220,000
220,000
–
–
–
–
440,000
Chief Financial Officer
2021
220,000
44,000
–
–
–
–
264,000
Sandra Peterson
2022
195,000
39,000
–
–
–
234,000
VP of Sales and Marketing
2021
195,000
39,000
–
–
–
18,739
(3)
252,739
Officers as a Group
2022
815,000
609,000
3,869,250
–
–
33,965
5,327,215
2021
715,000
158,000
112,500
–
–
18,739
1,004,239
_____________________
(1)
This represents
the fair value of the award as of the grant date in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. For a discussion of the valuation assumptions
used in the calculations, see Note 11 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, included in Part IV, Item 15 of our Form 10-K.
(2)
Mr. Wheatley’s
all other compensation reflects amounts paid by the Company for federal income taxes for common stock that vested in June and September
2022.
(3)
Ms. Peterson’s all other compensation reflects
relocation compensation.
Executive Employment Arrangements
Desmond Wheatley.
On February 9, 2021, the Company entered into an Amended and Restated Employment Agreement (the “Employment Agreement”)
with Desmond Wheatley, the Company’s president and chief executive officer. The Employment Agreement amends and restates Mr. Wheatley’s
prior employment agreement effective as of January 1, 2016, and as amended on July 24, 2018. The Employment Agreement is on substantially
the same terms and conditions as Mr. Wheatley’s prior employment agreement and extends the term of the Employment Agreement to
December 31, 2025. Pursuant to the Employment Agreement, on April 1, 2021, the Company granted Mr. Wheatley 2,806 shares of restricted
common stock. Fifty percent of the shares of restricted common stock vest in three (3) equal quarterly installments at the end of each
calendar quarter following the grant date. The remaining fifty percent of the restricted stock vest in eleven (11) equal amounts at the
end of each calendar quarter following the grant date. In addition, on January 1, 2022, the Company granted Mr. Wheatley 7,436 shares
of restricted common stock equal to $150,000 based on the closing price of the Company’s common stock on such date. Fifty percent
of the shares of restricted stock vest in four (4) equal quarterly installments at the end of each calendar quarter following the grant
date. The remaining fifty percent of the restricted stock vest in twelve (12) equal amounts at the end of each calendar quarter following
the grant date.
10
On November 10, 2022,
the Board approved a stock grant under the Company’s 2021 Equity Incentive Plan, consisting of (i) a one-time grant of 142,500
restricted stock units (“RSUs”) and (ii) a target number of 142,500 performance restricted stock units (“PRSUs”)
to further incentivize and align Mr. Wheatley’s interest with the Company. For the RSUs, 50% vested upon the grant date, 25% will
vest on February 1, 2024 and 25% will vest on February 1, 2025. The PRSUs are tied to three-year revenue and gross margin goals for the
Company and will vest upon determination of performance by the Compensation Committee during January or February 2025. On December 15,
2022, the Board approved an increase in Mr. Wheatley’s annual cash compensation from $300,000 to $400,000 and his target bonus
was increased from 25% to 100% of his base pay effective January 1, 2022.
Katherine McDermott. Ms.
McDermott and the Company agreed to an offer letter dated July 15, 2019 (the “Offer Letter”) whereby the Company agreed to
pay Ms. McDermott an annual salary of $220,000 per year. Ms. McDermott is eligible for an annual bonus up to 20% of her base salary subject
to performance metrics established by the Company. The Company also granted Ms. McDermott an option to purchase up to 49,104 shares of
the Company’s common stock at an exercise price equal to $5.78 which vest over a four-year period. In December 21, 2022, the Company’s
Board of Directors approved an amendment to Ms. McDermott’s compensation whereby the annual salary increased to $300,000 per year
beginning in 2023, and Ms. McDermott’s annual bonus eligibility was increased from 20% to 100% of the base salary, subject to performance
metrics established by the Company. Concurrently with this change, the Board of Directors approved a bonus for Ms. McDermott of $220,000
for fiscal year 2022, which is payable in fiscal year 2023.
Sandra Peterson. Ms.
Peterson and the Company agreed to an offer letter dated December 16, 2019 (the “Offer Letter”) whereby the Company agreed
to pay Ms. Peterson an annual salary of $195,000 per year. Ms. Peterson is eligible for an annual bonus up to 20% of her base salary
subject to performance metrics established by the Company as well as commission compensation equal to one half percent of the total,
or portion of the total sales price actually received by the Company of any sale of our products after an annual target of $10,000,000
in revenue. The Company also granted Ms. Peterson an option to purchase up to 49,104 shares of the Company’s common stock at an
exercise price equal to $4.57 which vest over a four-year period.
Severance and Change in Control Agreements
Mr. Wheatley’s employment
agreement with the Company provides for a payment in an amount equal to four times his annual compensation if he is terminated for reasons
other than mutual agreement, his death, his breach or other cause, or upon his disability, as defined in the agreement.
On February 9, 2021, the
Company’s Board of Directors adopted a Change in Control Severance Benefit Plan. The Plan provides severance benefits to eligible
participants upon selected terminations of service in connection with a change of control of the Company. The Plan provides that upon
termination of service of a participant by voluntary resignation of employment by the participant for good reason (which good reason
occurred within the three (3) months prior to or twelve (12) months following the effective date of a change of control), or by the Company
without cause, and the satisfaction of certain other requirements, the participant may receive certain (i) cash severance payments; (ii)
bonus severance payments; (iii) health insurance premium payments; or (iv) acceleration of vesting of outstanding options or other equity
awards as provided in the Plan. The Company’s chief financial officer, Katherine McDermott, and the Company’s VP of Sales
and Marketing, Sandra Peterson, are participants under the Plan.
11
Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End
The following table sets
forth information regarding outstanding stock options held by our named executive officers as of December 31, 2022.
Name and Principal
Position
Option
Awards
Number of
Number of
securities
securities
underlying
underlying
unexercised
unexercised
Option
options (#)
options (#)
Option exercise
expiration
exercisable(1)
unexercisable(1)
price ($)
date
Desmond Wheatley
87,000
—
7.50
10/17/2026
President and Chief Executive Officer
Katherine McDermott
41,943
7,161
(2)
5.78
7/23/2029
Chief Financial Officer
Sandra Peterson
36,828
12,276
(3)
4.57
1/2/2030
VP of Sales and Marketing
_______________________
(1)
Stock options to purchase our
common stock were granted pursuant to our 2011 Stock Incentive Plan.
(2)
1,023 of these stock options vest monthly and will
be fully vested on July 31, 2023.
(3)
1,023 of these stock options vest monthly and will
be fully vested on December 31, 2023.
12
EQUITY BENEFIT AND STOCK PLANS
Stock Incentive Plan
On August 10, 2011, in
order to provide an incentive to attract and retain directors, officers, consultants, advisors and employees whose services are considered
valuable, to encourage a sense of proprietorship and to stimulate an active interest of such persons in our development and financial
success, the Company adopted the 2011 Stock Incentive Plan (the "2011 Plan"), pursuant to which 600,000 shares plus annual
increases as provided in the 2011 Plan for a total of 30,000 shares as of December 31, 2019, were reserved for issuance as awards to
employees, directors, consultants and other service providers. Under the 2011 Plan, we were authorized to issue incentive stock options
intended to qualify under Section 422 of the Code and non-qualified stock options. The 2011 Plan is administered by our Board of Directors
until such time as such authority has been delegated to a committee of the Board of Directors. The 2011 Plan was ratified by our shareholders
in 2012 and expired in 2021.
On June 9, 2021, the Company’s
stockholders approved the Beam Global 2021 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2021 Plan”) under which 2,000,000 shares of the Company’s
common stock are reserved to be issued pursuant to the exercise of stock options or other awards granted under such plan in addition
to the 630,000 shares previously reserved under the Beam Global 2011 Stock Incentive Plan. The number of shares reserved for issuance
under the 2021 Plan will increase automatically on January 1 of each of 2022 through 2031 by the number of shares equal to 5% of
the aggregate number of outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock as of the immediately preceding December 31, or a
lesser number as may be determined by our board of directors or compensation committee.
Incentive Plan Awards
From January 1, 2022 through
December 31, 2022, the Company granted a total of 78,400 stock options under the 2021 Plan, which were granted to 51 of its employees.
The following table sets
forth certain information regarding our 2011 and 2021 Plan as of December 31, 2022:
Number
of Securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding stock options
Weighted-average
exercise price of outstanding stock options
Number
of securities remaining available for future issuance under equity compensation plans
336,758
$12.54
1,716,070
13
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION
MATTERS
Under Nevada General Corporation Law and our
articles of incorporation, our directors and officers will have no personal liability to us or our stockholders for monetary damages
incurred as the result of the breach or alleged breach by a director or officer of his “duty of care.” This provision does
not eliminate or limit the liability of a director or officer for (i) acts or omissions that involve intentional misconduct or a knowing
violation of law or (ii) the payment of dividend in violation of Section 78.300 of the Nevada Revised Statutes. This provision would
generally absolve directors of personal liability for negligence in the performance of duties, including gross negligence.
The effect of this provision in our articles
of incorporation is to eliminate the rights of Beam Global and our stockholders (through stockholder’s derivative suits on behalf
of Beam Global) to recover monetary damages against a director or officer for breach of his fiduciary duty of care (including breaches
resulting from negligent or grossly negligent behavior) except in the situations described in clauses (i) through (ii) above. This provision
does not limit nor eliminate the rights of Beam Global or any stockholder to seek non-monetary relief such as an injunction or rescission
in the event of a breach of a director’s or officer’s duty of care. Nevada General Corporation Law grants corporations the
right to indemnify their directors, officers, employees and agents in accordance with applicable law. Our bylaws provide for indemnification
of such persons to the full extent allowable under applicable law. These provisions will not alter the liability of the directors under
federal securities laws.
We intend to enter into agreements to indemnify
our directors and officers, in addition to the indemnification provided for in our bylaws. These agreements, among other things, indemnify
our directors and officers for certain expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines, and settlement amounts incurred
by any such person in any action or proceeding, including any action by or in the right of Beam Global, arising out of such person’s
services as a director or officer of Beam Global, any subsidiary of Beam Global or any other company or enterprise to which the person
provides services at the request of Beam Global. We believe that these provisions and agreements are necessary to attract and retain
qualified directors and officers.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities
arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers, or persons controlling Beam Global pursuant to the foregoing
provisions, Beam Global has been informed that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission, such indemnification is against
public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
14
ITEM 12.
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS.
The following table sets
forth information regarding beneficial ownership of our common stock as of April 28, 2023 by:
(1)
each person
or group of affiliated persons known by us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our common stock;
(2)
each of our named executive
officers;
(3)
each of our directors; and
(4)
all of our executive officers
and directors as a group.
We have determined beneficial
ownership in accordance with the rules of the SEC and the information is not necessarily indicative of beneficial ownership for any other
purpose. Unless otherwise indicated below, to our knowledge, the persons and entities named in the table have sole voting and sole investment
power with respect to all shares that they beneficially own, subject to community property laws where applicable. To our knowledge, no
person or entity, except as set forth below, is the beneficial owner of more than 5% of the voting power of our common stock as of the
close of business on April 28, 2023.
Under SEC rules, the calculation
of the number of shares of our common stock beneficially owned by a person and the percentage ownership of that person includes both
outstanding shares of our common stock then owned as well as any shares of our common stock subject to options or warrants held by that
person that are currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of April 28, 2023. Shares subject to those options or warrants for
a particular person are not included as outstanding, however, for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of any other person.
We have based percentage ownership of our common stock on 10,760,195 shares of our common stock outstanding as of April 28, 2023.
Unless otherwise indicated,
the address of each beneficial owner listed in the table below is c/o Beam Global, 5660 Eastgate Drive, San Diego, California 92121.
15
Name of Beneficial Owner
Number of Shares Beneficially Owned
Percent of Shares Outstanding
Named Executive Officers, Directors and Director Nominees:
Desmond Wheatley (1)
189,949
1.75%
Katherine McDermott (2)
47,058
*
Sandra Peterson (3)
41,943
*
Anthony Posawatz (4)
64,895
*
Peter Davidson (5)
46,434
*
Nancy Floyd (6)
13,992
*
All current executive officers and directors as a group (6 persons) (7)
404,271
3.71%
5% Stockholders:
Townsend AC, LLC (8)
1,065,115
9.90%
230 Schilling Circle, Suite 120
Hunt Valley, MD 21031
Keshif Ventures, LLC (9)
668,278
6.21%
11512 El Camino Real, Suite 340
San Diego, CA 92130
_________________
*
Represents beneficial ownership
of less than 1% of the outstanding shares of our common stock.
(1)
Mr. Wheatley is our President and Chief Executive Officer and Chairman
of our Board of Directors. His beneficial ownership consists of 87,000 shares of common stock issuable pursuant to stock options exercisable
within 60 days after April 28, 2023 and 102,949 shares that have been issued pursuant to RSAs and RSUs, of which 2,549 shares are subject
to forfeiture in the event Mr. Wheatley ceases to provide services to the Company.
(2)
Ms. McDermott is our Chief Financial Officer.
Her beneficial ownership consists of shares of common stock issuable pursuant to stock options exercisable within 60 days after April
28, 2023.
(3)
Ms. Peterson is our VP of Sales and Marketing.
Her beneficial ownership consists of shares of common stock issuable pursuant to stock options exercisable within 60 days after April
28, 2023.
(4)
Mr. Posawatz serves as a member of our Board
of Directors. His beneficial ownership consists of 64,895 shares that have been issued pursuant to RSAs, of which 3,850 shares are
subject to forfeiture in the event Mr. Posawatz ceases to provide services to the Company.
(5)
Mr. Davidson serves as a member of our Board
of Directors. His beneficial ownership consists of 46,434 shares that have been issued pursuant to RSAs, of which 2,750 shares are
subject to forfeiture in the event Mr. Davidson ceases to provide services to the Company.
(6)
Nancy C. Floyd serves as a member of our Board
of Directors. Her beneficial ownership consists of 13,992 shares that have been issued pursuant to RSAs, of which 2,750 shares are
subject to forfeiture in the event Ms. Floyd ceases to provide services to the Company.
(7)
Beneficial ownership consists of (i) 228,870
shares of common stock and (ii) 175,401 shares of common stock subject to options exercisable within 60 days of April 28, 2023,
in each case beneficially owned by our current executive officers and directors, of which 11,899 shares are subject to cancellation.
(8)
Townsend AC, LLC consists of 1,065,115 shares
of common stock based on the transfer agent shares outstanding report.
(9)
Keshif Ventures consists of 668,278 shares of
common stock based on the transfer agent shares outstanding report.
16
ITEM 13.
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE.
In addition to the director
and executive officer compensation arrangements and indemnification arrangements discussed above under “Directors, Executive Officers
and Corporate Governance” and “Executive Compensation,” since January 1, 2021, we have not been a party to
any transactions in which the amount involved exceeded or will exceed $120,000 and in which any of our directors, executive officers,
beneficial holders of more than 5% of our capital stock, or entities affiliated with them, had or will have a direct or indirect material
interest, other than compensation described above in “Non-Employee Director Compensation” and “EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION”.
Policies and Procedures for Related Party
Transactions
Our audit committee charter
states that our audit committee is responsible for reviewing and approving in advance any related party transaction, which is a transaction
between us and related persons in which the aggregate amount involved exceeds or may be expected to exceed $120,000 in any calendar year
and in which a related person has or will have a direct or indirect interest. Our audit committee has adopted policies and procedures
for review of, and standards for approval of, such a related party transaction. For purposes of these policies and procedures, a related
person is defined as an executive officer, director, or nominee for director, including his or her immediate family members, or a beneficial
owner of greater than 5% our common stock, in each case since the beginning of the most recently completed year. Prior to the creation
of our audit committee, our full Board of Directors reviewed related party transactions, with any directors abstaining from matters in
which the director had an interest.
It is our intention to
ensure that all future transactions between us and our officers, directors, and principal stockholders and their affiliates are approved
by the audit committee of our Board of Directors and are on terms no less favorable to us than those that we could obtain from unaffiliated
third parties.
Director Independence
See section “Director
Independence” set forth in Item 10 above is incorporated into this Item 13 by reference.
17
ITEM 14.
PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES.
The following table sets
forth all fees accrued or paid to RSM for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021:
Year Ended December 31,
2022
2021
Audit Fees (1)
$ 783,363
$ 204,640
Audit Related Fees(2)
115,500
–
Tax Fees
–
–
All Other Fees
–
–
$ 898,863
$ 204,640
________________
(1)
Audit
Fees consist of professional services rendered in connection with the audit of our annual consolidated financial statements, including
audited financial statements presented in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and services that are normally provided by the independent
registered public accountants in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements for those fiscal years.
(2)
Audit Related Fees consist of professional
services related to issuance of comfort and consent letters.
Pre-approval Policy . Under our audit
committee’s policy governing our use of the services of our independent registered public accountants, the audit committee is required
to pre-approve all audit and permitted non-audit services performed by our independent registered public accountants in order to ensure
that the provision of such services does not impair the public accountants’ independence. In the years ended December 31,
2022 and 2021, all fees identified above under the captions “Audit Fees,” and “All Other Fees” that were billed
by RSM US LLP were approved by the audit committee in accordance with SEC requirements.
In the year ended December 31,
2022, there were no other professional services provided by RSM US LLP, other than those listed above, that would have required our audit
committee to consider their compatibility with maintaining the independence of RSM US LLP.
18
PART IV
ITEM 15.
EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES.
Part IV of the Original
Filing is hereby amended solely to add the following exhibits required to be filed in connection with this Amendment No. 1 to Annual
Report on Form 10-K/A.
Exhibits:
The following exhibits are included with this filing:
Exhibit
Number
Exhibit
Description
31.1
Certification of Principal Executive Officer Pursuant to Rules 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
31.2
Certification of Principal Financial Officer Pursuant to Rules 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
_______________________
* Filed herewith
19
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or
15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
Beam Global
Dated: May 1,
2023
By:
/s/ Desmond Wheatley
Desmond Wheatley, Chief Executive Officer
President and Chairman
(Principal Executive Officer)
20
Text extracted from the filing as submitted to EDGAR. Formatting, tables and exhibits are simplified for reading; the original document is authoritative for anything you rely on.