¨
|
Preliminary
Proxy Statement
|
||||
¨
|
Confidential,
for the use of the Commission only (as permitted by Rule
14a-6(e)(2))
|
||||
x
|
Definitive
Proxy Statement
|
||||
¨
|
Definitive
Additional Materials
|
||||
¨
|
Soliciting
Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12
|
x
|
No
fee required.
|
|||
o
|
Fee
computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and
0-11.
|
|||
(1)
|
Title
of each class of securities to which transaction applies:
|
|||
(2)
|
Aggregate
number of securities to which transaction applies:
|
|||
(3)
|
Per
unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to
Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing fee is
calculated and state how it was determined):
|
|||
(4)
|
Proposed
maximum aggregate value of transaction:
|
|||
(5)
|
Total
fee paid:
|
¨
|
Fee
paid previously with preliminary materials.
|
|
¨
|
Check
box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-1l
(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid
previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number,
or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.
|
|
(1)
|
Amount
Previously Paid:
|
(2)
|
Form,
Schedule or Registration Statement
No.:
|
(3)
|
Filing
Party:
|
(4)
|
Date
Filed:
|
At:
|
China
Education Alliance, Inc.
6/F
Middle Tower, China Overseas Plaza
No.8
Guanghua Dong Li, Chaoyang District
Beijing
100020, P.R.C.
|
|
|
On:
|
December
20, 2010
|
Time:
|
10:00
a.m. local time
|
Sincerely,
|
|
/s/
Xiqun Yu
|
|
Xiqun
Yu
|
|
Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer
|
Page
|
|
|
|
Notice
of Annual Meeting of Stockholders
|
4
|
Date,
Time and Place of the Annual Meeting
|
6
|
Purpose
of the Annual Meeting
|
6
|
Voting
and Revocation of Proxies
|
6
|
Dissenters’
Right of Appraisal
|
7
|
Outstanding
Shares; Quorum; Required Vote
|
7
|
Solicitation
of Proxies
|
7
|
Delivery
of Proxy Materials to Households
|
8
|
Interest
of Officers and Directors in Matters to Be Acted Upon
|
8
|
Security
Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management
|
8
|
Proposal
1: Election of Directors
|
10
|
Director
Nominees
|
10
|
Involvement
in Certain Legal Proceedings
|
11
|
Term
of Office
|
12
|
Vote
Required and Board of Directors’ Recommendation
|
12
|
Directors
and Officers
|
13
|
Legal Proceedings
|
13
|
Transactions with Related Persons, Promoters, and Certain Control
Persons
|
13
|
Section
16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance
|
14
|
Director
Independence
|
14
|
Meetings
and Committees of the Board of Directors; Annual Meeting
Attendance
|
14
|
Board
Leadership Structure and Role in Risk Oversight
|
17
|
Stockholder
Communications
|
17
|
Code
of Ethics
|
18
|
Board
of Directors Compensation
|
18
|
Director
Compensation Table
|
19
|
Report
of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors
|
20
|
Executive
Compensation
|
21
|
Compensation
Discussion and Analysis
|
21
|
Compensation
Committee Report of Executive Compensation
|
21
|
Compensation
Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation
|
21
|
Summary
Compensation Table
|
21
|
Outstanding
Equity Awards at December 31, 2009
|
23
|
Proposal
2: Ratification of Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting
Firm
|
24
|
Audit
Fees
|
24
|
Pre-Approval
Policies and Procedures
|
24
|
Vote
Required and Board of Directors’ Recommendation
|
24
|
Stockholder
Proposals
|
26
|
Other
Business
|
26
|
Annual
Report
|
26
|
|
1.
|
To
elect five directors to serve on the Board, in either Class I, or Class II
of the Board, subject to the provisions of the By-laws of the Company,
with such Class I directors to serve until the 2011 Annual Meeting of
Stockholders and until their respective successors have been duly elected
and qualified, or until such director’s earlier resignation, removal or
death, and such Class II directors to serve until the 2012 Annual Meeting
of Stockholders and until their respective successors have been duly
elected and qualified, or until such director’s earlier resignation,
removal or death;
|
|
2.
|
To
ratify the appointment of Sherb & Co., LLP as our independent
registered public accounting firm for our fiscal year ending December 31,
2010; and
|
|
3.
|
To
act on such other matters as may properly come before the meeting or any
adjournment or adjournments
thereof.
|
By
Order of the Board of Directors.
|
|
Xiqun
Yu
|
|
Chairman,
President and Chief Executive
Officer
|
|
1.
|
To
elect five directors to serve on the Board, in either Class I, or Class II
of the Board, subject to the provisions of the By-laws of the Company,
with such Class I directors to serve until the 2011 Annual Meeting of
Stockholders and until their respective successors have been duly elected
and qualified, or until such director’s earlier resignation, removal or
death, and such Class II directors to serve until the 2012
Annual Meeting of Stockholders and until their respective successors have
been duly elected and qualified or until such director’s earlier
resignation, removal or death;
|
|
2.
|
To
ratify the appointment of Sherb & Co., LLP as our independent
registered public accounting firm for our fiscal year ending December 31,
2010; and
|
|
3.
|
To
act on such other matters as may properly come before the meeting or any
adjournment or adjournments
thereof.
|
|
·
|
Directors
shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast. Votes may be cast
in favor or withheld. Votes withheld in connection with the election of
one or more of the nominees for director will not be counted as votes cast
for such individuals. Broker non-votes will have no effect on the
election of directors, which is by plurality
vote;
|
|
·
|
The
affirmative vote of a majority of common shares present at the meeting and
entitled to vote on each matter is required to ratify the appointment of
Sherb & Co., LLP as the Company’s independent registered public
accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December, 31, 2010.
Abstentions will therefore, in effect, be votes against the ratification
of the appointment of the independent registered public accounting
firm; and
|
|
·
|
To
act on such other matters as may properly come before the meeting or any
adjournment or adjournments
thereof.
|
Name and Address
|
Number of
Shares
Beneficially
Owned (1)
|
Percentage of
Outstanding
Shares (1)
|
||||||
Executive
Officers and Directors
|
||||||||
Xiqun
Yu (1)
58
Heng Shan Rd.
Kun
Lun Shopping Mall Harbin,
PRC
150090
|
12,883,335
|
(2)
|
40.96
|
%
|
||||
Zibing
Pan
58
Heng Shan Rd.
Kun
Lun Shopping Mall Harbin,
PRC150090
|
20,000
|
(3)
|
*
|
|||||
James
Hsu
58
Heng Shan Rd.
Kun
Lun Shopping Mall Harbin,
PRC150090
|
10,000
|
(4)
|
*
|
|||||
Liansheng
Zhang
58
Heng Shan Rd.
Kun
Lun Shopping Mall Harbin,
PRC150090
|
6,666
|
(5)
|
*
|
|||||
Yizhao
Zhang
58
Heng Shan Rd.
Kun
Lun Shopping Mall Harbin,
PRC150090
|
30,000
|
(6)
|
0
|
%
|
||||
Officers
and Directors as a group (five individuals)
|
12,950,001
|
41.08
|
%
|
(1)
|
In determining beneficial
ownership of our common stock as of a given date, the number of shares
shown includes shares of common stock which may be acquired on exercise of
warrants or options or conversion of convertible securities within 60 days
of that date. In determining the percent of common stock owned by a person
or entity on November 18, 2010, (a) the numerator is the number of shares
of the class beneficially owned by such person or entity, including shares
which may be acquired within 60 days on exercise of warrants or options
and conversion of convertible securities, and (b) the denominator is the
sum of (i) the total shares of common stock outstanding on November 18,
2010 (31,261, 911), and (ii) the total number of shares that the
beneficial owner may acquire upon conversion of the preferred and on
exercise of the warrants and options. Unless otherwise stated, each
beneficial owner has sole power to vote and dispose of its
shares.
|
(2)
|
The shares beneficially owned by
Xiqun Yu include (a) 12,683,335 shares of common stock directly owned by
Xiqun Yu, and (b) an option granted by the Company on June 18, 2009, to
purchase 300,000 shares of the Company’s common stock in three equal
installments, the first being vested on the date of the grant, and
additional installments being vested on the first and second anniversaries
of the date of the grant.
|
(3)
|
Pursuant to an Incentive Stock
Option Agreement between Zibing Pan and the Company, on September 24,
2009, Zibing Pan was granted an option to purchase 30,000 shares of common
stock of Company annually at an exercise price equivalent to the closing
price per share of common stock on the date of the grant, which option
shall vest in one-third installments over three years, the first
installment to be exercisable on the date of this option, with additional
installments becoming exercisable on each of the first and second
anniversaries following the date of the
grant.
|
(4)
|
James Hsu was granted an option
by the Company pursuant to the Company's 2009 Incentive Stock Option Plan
and an Incentive Stock Option Agreement dated as of November 15, 2009. The
option shall become vested and exercisable as of November 15,2009 to
purchase 10,000 shares of common stock at the exercise price of $5.40 per
share during the term of the James Hsu’s employment with the Company and
shall expire one year from November 15,
2009.
|
(5)
|
Liansheng Zhang was granted an
option to purchase 10,000 shares of the common stock of the Company on
June 18, 2009. The option shall become exercisable during the term of the
Liansheng Zhang's employment in three equal annual installments of 3,333
shares of common stock each (save for the last installment of 3,334
shares), the first installment to be exercisable on the date of this
option, with additional installments becoming exercisable on each of the
first and second anniversaries following the date of the
option.
|
(6)
|
Yizhao Zhang was granted an
option to purchase 30,000 shares of the common stock of the Company
pursuant to the 2009 Incentive Stock Plan on June 18, 2009. The option
shall vest on the first anniversary of the date of the grant and may be
exercised until three years from the date of the grant of the
option.
|
Name
|
Age
|
Position with the Company
|
Director Since
|
|||
Xiqun
Yu
|
42
|
Chief
Executive Officer and Chairman
|
December
13, 2004
|
|||
Zibing
Pan
|
41
|
Chief
Financial Officer and Director
|
March
23, 2010
|
|||
James
Hsu
|
57
|
Director
|
October
15, 2007
|
|||
Liansheng
Zhang
|
68
|
Director
|
October
15, 2007
|
|||
Yizhao
Zhang
|
|
45
|
|
Director
|
|
June
17,
2009
|
|
·
|
Had
a bankruptcy petition filed by or against any business of which such
person was a general partner or executive officer either at the time of
the bankruptcy or within two years prior to that
time.
|
|
·
|
Been
convicted in a criminal proceeding or been subject to a pending criminal
proceeding, excluding traffic violations and other minor
offenses.
|
|
·
|
Been
subject to any order, judgment or decree, not subsequently reversed,
suspended or vacated, of any court of competent jurisdiction, permanently
or temporarily enjoining, barring, suspending or otherwise limiting his
involvement in any type of business, securities or banking
activities.
|
|
·
|
Been
found by a court of competent jurisdiction (in a civil action), the SEC,
or the Commodities Futures Trading Commission to have violated a federal
or state securities or commodities law, and the judgment has not been
reversed, suspended or vacated.
|
|
·
|
Been
the subject to, or a party to, any sanction or order, not subsequently
reverse, suspended or vacated, of any self-regulatory organization, any
registered entity, or any equivalent exchange, association, entity or
organization that has disciplinary authority over its members or persons
associated with a member.
|
Name
|
|
Age
|
|
Position
|
Xiqun
Yu
|
42
|
Chairman
of the board, chief executive officer, president and
director
|
||
Zibing
Pan
|
41
|
Chief
financial officer and director
|
||
James
Hsu 1,
2,3
|
57
|
Director
|
||
Liansheng
Zhang 1,2,3
|
68
|
Director
|
||
Yizhao
Zhang1,2,3
|
40
|
Director
|
|
•
|
The
candidate’s name, age, business address, residence address, principal
occupation or employment, the class and number of shares of our capital
stock the candidate beneficially owns, a brief description of any direct
or indirect relationships with us, and the other information that would be
required in a proxy statement soliciting proxies for the election of the
candidate as a director.
|
|
•
|
A
signed consent of the nominee to being named as a nominee, to cooperate
with reasonable background checks and personal interviews and to serve as
a director, if elected; and
|
|
•
|
As
to the stockholder proposing such nominee, that stockholder’s name and
address, the class and number of shares of our capital stock the
stockholder beneficially owns, a description of all arrangements or
understandings between the stockholder and the candidate and any other
person or persons (including their names) pursuant to which the
recommendation is being made, a list of all other companies to which the
stockholder has recommended the candidate for election as a director in
that fiscal year, and a representation that the stockholder intends to
appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to nominate the person named
in its notice.
|
Board
of Directors
|
0
|
|
Audit
Committee
|
0
|
|
Compensation
Committee
|
0
|
|
Nominating
Committee
|
0
|
|
·
|
The Audit Committee oversees the
Company’s risk policies and processes relating to the financial statements
and financial reporting processes, as well as key credit risks, liquidity
risks, market risks and compliance, and the guidelines, policies and
processes for monitoring and mitigating those
risks.
|
|
·
|
The Nominating Committee oversees
risks related to the company’s governance structure and
processes.
|
Name and
Principal
Position
|
Fee
earned or
paid in
Cash ($)
|
Stock
Awards
($)
|
Option
Awards
($)
|
Non-equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation
($)
|
Change in
Pension
Value and
Nonqualified
Deferred
Compensation
Earnings ($)
|
All Other
Compensation
($)
|
Total ($)
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
Xiqun
Yu
|
—
|
—
|
313,000
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
313,000
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
—
|
—
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
James
Hsu
|
10,000
|
—
|
12,210
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
22,210
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
—
|
—
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ansheng
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Huang
|
14,000
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
14,000
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
Liansheng
|
8,500
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Zhang
|
5,000
|
—
|
3,500
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
Yizhao
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Zhang
|
6,000
|
—
|
20,000
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
26,000
|
Respectfully
submitted by the Audit Committee,
|
Yizhao
Zhang (Chairman)
|
James
Hsu
|
Liansheng
Zhang
|
Name and
Principal
Position
|
Fiscal
Year
|
Salary ($)
|
Bonus ($)
|
Stock
Awards
($)
|
Option
Awards
($)
|
Non-equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation
($)
|
Change in
Pension
Value and
Nonqualified
Deferred
Compensation
Earnings ($)
|
All Other
Compensation
($)
|
Total ($)
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
Xiqun
Yu
|
2009
|
21,000
|
—
|
—
|
313,000
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
334,000
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chief
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Executive
|
2008
|
21,000
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
21,000
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
Officer
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(principal
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
executive
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
officer)
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Zibing
Pan
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chief
|
2009
|
38,000
|
—
|
—
|
52,000
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
90,000
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
Financial
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Officer
|
2008
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
(principal
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
financial
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
officer)(1)
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Susan
Liu
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Former
|
2009
|
50,000
|
—
|
—
|
4,000
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
54,000
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chief
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Financial
|
2008
|
39,000
|
—
|
—
|
5,000
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
44,000
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
Officer(2)
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chunqing
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wang
|
2009
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
Former
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chief
|
2008
|
5,000
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
5,000
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
Financial
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Officer
(3)
|
|
(1)
|
Mr. Zibing Pan joined us as our
Chief Financial Officer on August 20,
2009
|
|
(2)
|
Ms. Susan Liu joined us as our
Chief Financial Officer on June 2, 2008 and resigned on August 20,
2009.
|
|
(3)
|
Mr. Chunqing Wang resigned as our
Chief Financial Officer on June 2,
2008.
|
Name
|
Number of
securities
underlying
unexercised
options (#)
exercisable
|
Number of
securities
underlying
unexercised
options (#)
unexercisable
|
Equity
incentive
plan awards:
Number of
securities
underlying
unexercised
unearned
options (#)
|
Option
exercise
price ($)
|
Option
expiration
date
|
Number
of shares
or units
of stock
that have
not
vested (#)
|
Market
value of
shares or
units of
stock that
have not
vested ($)
|
Equity
incentive
plan awards:
Number of
unearned
shares, units
or other
rights that
have not
vested (#)
|
Equity
incentive plan
awards:
Market or
payout value
of unearned
shares, units
or other
rights that
have not
vested ($)
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Xiqun
Yu
|
100,000
|
200,000
|
-
|
3.19
|
6/18/2012
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Zack
Pan
|
10,000
|
20,000
|
-
|
5.59
|
9/24/2012
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Xuxin
Dong
|
10,000
|
20,000
|
-
|
2.90
|
6/18/2012
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tao
Wang
|
3,333
|
6.667
|
-
|
2.90
|
6/18/2012
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Jianwei
Zhou
|
667
|
1,333
|
-
|
2.90
|
6/18/2012
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shangyi
Tian
|
1,000
|
2,000
|
-
|
2.90
|
6/18/2012
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lianshuang
Li
|
1,000
|
2,000
|
-
|
2.90
|
6/18/2012
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Xiuli
Han
|
1,000
|
2,000
|
-
|
2.90
|
6/18/2012
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hongbo
Ma
|
1,000
|
2,000
|
-
|
2.90
|
6/18/2012
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Quanxi
Wang
|
667
|
1,333
|
-
|
2.90
|
6/18/2012
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Liansheng
Zhang
|
3,333
|
6.667
|
-
|
2.90
|
6/18/2012
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Yizhao
Zhang
|
30,000
|
-
|
2.90
|
6/18/2012
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
James
Hsu
|
10,000
|
-
|
5.40
|
11/15/2010
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tai
Ming Tan
|
20,000
|
-
|
2.90
|
6/18/2012
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total
|
162,000
|
294,000
|
By
Order of the Board of Directors.
|
|
Xiqun
Yu
|
|
Chairman,
President and Chief Executive
Officer
|