text:
Cosmetic and General Dentistry at Parkside Dental located in Riverside, CA.
"Dr. Middleton and his staff are the ideal dental office: skilled, friendly, efficient and kind."
Michael Hayman
"Very happy with how I was treated."
Kenneth Williams
"I really like Megan, she was extremely friendly & gentle."
Lynn Lamberson
"Lori is the best at cleaning teeth."
Joseph Clahassey
"Very friendly and informative services!"
Juliann Hartman
"great treatment from the hygenist!"
Ralph Miller
"Dr Middleton and Asst Monica are awesome!!"
Kimberly Robinson
"very friendly and very professional"
Wayne Eggleston
"Denise is always great. love all of you."
Mary Ledgerwood
"My visits are always pleasant"
Kathryn Conner
At our Riverside dental location, we make it our business to provide you with the smile of your dreams. Our comprehensive approach to dental care, caring team and beautiful office will make you feel comfortable at every visit.
We help you smile with confidence by combining the latest in dental health innovations with a commitment to excellent service. We make people all over the Inland Empire, Los Angeles and Orange County smile brighter every day. You are invited to learn about preventative dentistry, implants, full mouth reconstruction, cosmetic procedures and children's dentistry provided in our Riverside dental practice.
Keeping your smile healthy is our number one priority. In addition to maintaining oral health, patients commonly see Dr. Middleton for an array of dental services, which include:
Sleep Apnea
Dr. Middleton offers personalized solutions to treat patients suffering from Obstructive Sleep Apnea and other sleep related disorders. Learn more
Sedation Dentistry
We understand that patients may have anxiety about visiting the dentist. Dr. Middleton and his caring team want to make your visit as comfortable as possible. Sedation dentistry has helped many of our patients overcome their fear. Learn more
Dental Implants
If you are missing teeth and feel embarrassed about your smile, dental implants are your best option. Dental implants look and function just like your natural teeth and match the color to perfection. Learn more
Teeth Whitening
If your teeth are stained from coffee, tea, wine or smoking, professional teeth whitening is the best solution. Our in-office teeth whitening will give your smile what it needs to be bright and beautiful again. Learn more
CEREC – Same-day tooth restorations
This new technology is perfect for patients with limited time or feel anxious about going to the dentist. This new technology has revolutionized ceramic restorations such as crowns and bridges and porcelain veneers. Patients no longer have to make multiple visits to get their finished product. They are metal-free and tooth colored to restore your tooth to its natural beauty. Learn more
Invisalign – Invisible Braces
Have you always wanted a beautiful straight smile? Now you can without the inconvenience of traditional metal braces. These nearly undetectable custom aligners are fitted using 3-D technology and move your teeth gradually week by week. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Middleton to see if Invisalign is right for you. Learn more
Porcelain Veneers
If you feel you have an unattractive smile or crooked, chipped or misshapen teeth, you can have beautiful new smile with porcelain veneers. A veneer is a thin shell of porcelain or plastic that goes over your natural teeth giving you a gorgeous new smile. Learn more
Starting your child early with good dental habits is key in developing great oral care. We treat children of all ages and make it fun and relaxing. If you have questions about your child's first appointment, give our office a call so we can explain all the conveniences our office has to offer.
Reserve your appointment today
Our wonderful team is always available to answer any questions you may have. We look forward to seeing you in our Riverside dental office and providing comfortable dental care for you and your family. Contact our Riverside office today!


text:
June 26, 2007
Cummings plans hearing on Coast Guard administrative law system
Rep. Elijah Cummings (D. Md.), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation is to convene a hearing to explore allegations that the agency's administrative law system is biased and that its judges are pressured to rule in the Coast Guard's favor.
The Baltimore Sun reports that Rep. Cummings, a Baltimore Democrat, said he also plans to ask Commandant Thad W. Allen to consider immediate action to protect the rights of defendants whose cases are now before the Coast Guard's courts.
Cummings was responding to an article published in The Sun suggesting that the Coast Guard's system is stacked against mariners.
According to the newspaper, agency records show that out of more than 6,300 charges brought in the past eight years, mariners prevailed in just 14. When dismissals are included, records show that the Coast Guard wins or reaches a settlement in more than 97 percent of its cases.
The newspaper reports that former Coast Guard Administrative Law Judge Jeffie J. Massey, who left the agency in March, later gave a sworn statement in which she said she was told by Chief Judge Joseph N. Ingolia that she was not a judge but rather a tool to enable the Coast Guard to gain the rulings it wants.
"I was specifically told [by Ingolia] that I should always rule for the Coast Guard," she testified.
Cummings said he and Rep. James L. Oberstar, a Minnesota Democrat, will decide in the next few days whether to convene a hearing before the Coast Guard subcommittee or the full House Transportation Committee, which Oberstar chairs.
Read the Baltimore Sun story here.
Read Jeffie J. Massey's sworn statement here

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Her father was killed shortly after in another rocket attack launched by the Taliban. When she was 4, Taiba moved to Pakistan with her mother and older brother. Virtually deaf, she could barely talk.
Life wasn't much better for her in Pakistan. At age 7, Taiba started working full time making rugs, working all day six days a week, except for a short break for lunch. There was no time to play or any opportunity for her — or other poor Pakistani girls — to go to school.
That's the way it was in Pakistan. Her poignant story illustrates the motivation behind humanitarian and best-selling author Greg Mortenson's drive to build schools and educate girls in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
On Wednesday, the worlds of Dawlat and Mortenson — author of "Three Cups of Tea" — intersect in Auburn where he will talk about his ongoing efforts to promote peace and improve education in those war-torn countries.
Dawlat was invited to meet Mortenson after the Auburn Education Foundation, which is sponsoring the author's talk, learned of her story. Now 19 and living in Utica, Dawlat views Mortenson as a hero.
"I want to thank him for helping my country so much," Dawlat told The Post-Standard in an e-mail.
She is learning to read and communicate at the Rome School for the Deaf, where she is a student. She and her family fled Pakistan for the United States in 2002.
Dawlat was given hearing aids and now can communicate in English and sign language.
Although she struggles to read and speak clearly, Dawlat has discovered a whole new world — one that brims with newfound hope, a support team and a dream to help others, said her teacher, Jean Gates.
"It feels great to be able to talk to people. I love learning and love to read especially about history and true stories," Dawlat said.
The upcoming encounter between Dawlat and Mortenson was not lost on Annette Abdelaziz, the Auburn Education Foundation's executive director.
Greg Mortenson not only builds schools. He can fill a house.
Organizers of a lecture by Greg Mortenson have sold all 1,000 tickets for the live event and have arranged a simulcast.
Mortenson will speak at Auburn High School's auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. A simulcast will be held at East Middle School, 191 Franklin St., Auburn. Simulcast attendants will be able to participate in the question-and-answer period via a live two-way video connection.
The Auburn Education Foundation has provided a set of two tickets to the simulcast and a private reception with the author at 3 p.m. Wednesday to give away to Post-Standard readers. The value of the set of four tickets is $220; all four will be given to one winner, drawn at random.
E-mail firstname.lastname@example.com by 5 p.m. Monday for your chance to win. Please write "Three Cups" in the subject line and include your name and daytime telephone number. One entry per person, please.
Simulcast tickets are $10. They are available at www.auburnedfoundation.org, Auburn Arby's restaurant, Creekside Books in Skaneateles, and at the door.
"We thought her story was special and we thought our students would love to hear her story. .. "We're just glad she can come," Abdelaziz said.
Give Dawlat credit for making the visit happen. She was finishing a young reader's version of "Three Cups of Tea," when she learned that Mortenson was coming to Auburn. With help from Gates, her volunteer teacher, Dawlat contacted the foundation and was invited to the reception after telling her story.
Besides thanking Mortenson, Dawlat said she hopes to get his autograph before he speaks at Auburn High School.
Gates, who tutors Dawlat at the Rome school, said the young woman is a model student whose enthusiasm for learning is refreshing.
"She is highly motivated and truly appreciates her life in America," said Gates, who herself is deaf. "It's very rewarding to work with a student who has developed a true love of learning."
Mortenson, who was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize last year, has built more than 130 schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan over the last 15 years. He co-founded the "Pennies for Peace" campaign.
In his latest book, "Stones into Schools: Promoting Peace with Books, Not Bombs, in Afghanistan and Pakistan," Mortenson wrote, "Teaching girls to read and write reduces the ignorance and poverty that fuel religious extremism and lays a groundwork for prosperity and peace."
He unwittingly enlisted a disciple in Dawlat, who was moved by "Three Cups of Tea." Like Mortenson, she values education and someday hopes to put hers to work for a bigger cause.
"I would like to go to college and maybe become a math assistant to the deaf or hard of hearing. I like helping people," she said.
Contact Scott Rapp at firstname.lastname@example.com or 289-4839.


text:
Instructor: Ian Goldberg
This course provides an introduction to security and privacy issues in various aspects of computing, including programs, operating systems, networks, databases, and Internet applications. It examines causes of security and privacy breaches, and gives methods to help prevent them.
This course is run primarily through LEARN. Enrolled students should log in to access all of the course material.
Everyone can access the syllabus and lecture slides.
Cryptography, Security, and Privacy Research Group
David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science
University of Waterloo
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
Tel: 519-888-4567 x36163
Fax: 519-885-1208
Contact | Feedback: firstname.lastname@example.com | Cryptography, Security, and Privacy (CrySP)


text:
The Department of Motor Vehicles said it is phasing in a new program to mail all driver's licenses and ID cards to customers at home.
Online Public Inspection File
All content © 2018, WFSB; Hartford, CT. (A Meredith Corporation Station) . All Rights Reserved.
For more information on this site, please read our Privacy Policy, and Terms of Service, and Ad Choices.


text:
The Arizona Buyer Advisory provides numerous links for buyers to start their own due diligence. It's important that all buyers do research about purchasing in Arizona. This document includes very important information, including:
1. Common documents a buyer should review;
2. Physical conditions in the property the buyer should investigate; and
3. Conditions affecting the surrounding area that the buyer should investigate. Read the entire document below:


text:
BEIJING — China Film Group will launch a new media initiative on Friday that aims to produce 1,000 shorts using online, cell phone and other digital platforms.
The shorties will cover 10 genres, including comedy, drama, business, horror, romance and youth subjects.
Each pic will have a budget of around 50,000 yuan ($73,000), with the first 20 due this year and 200 next year, China Film said on its website.
The initiative aims to harness the energy and talent of first-time helmers using digital video and wannabe filmmakers making pics on their cell phones — an important element in China — and add elements of quality control, as well as providing a dynamic platform for the pics.
Helmers Feng Xiaogang, Lu Chuan and Ning Hao are expected to attend Friday's launch, which will also bow two shorts.


text:
Vintage Jewels / Antique Haven,LLC ®
Vintage Jewels / Antique Haven / Deb Hancock, Glendale AZ
Jade Faceted Chinese Sterling Silver Semi Precious Gem Heavy Link Bracelet
$148.00 This gorgeous bracelet is one of the largest that I have seen. The butterscotch color jade pieces are faceted and measure 1-1/4" long and 1/2" across and they are tipped with the sterling.. There are five panels that make up the 8" bracelet. It has a fold over clasp with a safety catch on each side of it. Won't loose this baby! May be worn by man or woman. Marked 925 and tested to sterling silver. Excellent condition.
Worn by Imperial families for centuries, jade is a very spiritual stone. It has been called the jewel of heaven, the stone of immortality, a symbol of purity and is believed to embody the five cardinal virtues: charity, modesty, courage, justice and wisdom. From cloudy white to golden brown, light to dark green, to rare lavender, this most highly prized Asian stone is of many shades. Jade is treasured for its magical powers to increase life span, cure all ailments and ward off evil spirits.
Subscribe to my Favorite Shop for a Sneak Peek at my items Before They Appear on 'Todays' Arrivals' Page.. due to the photo enhance process.
Jewelry items are combined for shipping discounts.
Any THREE ship for FREE if total is over $50.00. This is for multiple item orders.
We are a brick and mortar store, with a top A+ BBB rating..
Call us at 602-573-4975 with your credit card # and skip the hassle of the paper work if you prefer.
International buyers please use Pay Pal.
Pay Pal members may use the Bill Me Later option for one item or a group of items totaling $100 or greater and take up to six months to pay with no interest. Our shop is paid by Pay Pal and your purchase is shipped immediately.
21 other shoppers have this item in their Cart or Wish List
Store Wide Sale! Make Offers
GOLD Sold ONLY Online! No gold at my brick and mortar store! Offers welcome, most reasonable offers accepted.


text:
Josh Temple's 10 Ways to Save Money on Your Water Bill
cut heating costs significantly with energy audit
Mature man sitting at desk checking bills, close-up
Mature man sitting at desk checking bills, close-up
Did you know you can lower your water bill with just a few small lifestyle changes? Conserve water and save money with Josh Temple's easy solutions to sky-high water bills.
1. Invest in dual-flush, low-flow commodes.
2. Use low-flow shower heads to conserve water.
3. Repair leaks and replace washers.
4. Insulate hot-water pipes.
5. Water plants and gardens early in the morning.
6. Make your yard less water dependent by using the Xeriscape (drought-resistant) gardening and landscaping concept.
7. Turn your water heater temperature down 10 degrees.
8. Wash your laundry in cold water.
9. Stop pre-rinsing dishes before they go in the dishwasher.
10. Reuse ice in cocktails.


text:
26 September 2008
A cosmetic surgery focused documentary made for ITV, called Face to Face, has caused the British Association of Cosmetic Doctors (BADC) to announce support for calls for tighter regulations of the dermal fillers market.
The BACD, a not-for-profit organisation, cornered with the advancement, education and practice of cosmetic surgery in the UK, issued a statement that voiced concerns about the training practices of non-medical personnel in non-surgical treatments such as dermal fillers.
Dr John Curran, BACD president and cosmetic doctor said:
�Channel 4�s Face to Face documentary highlighted the importance of visiting a qualified cosmetic doctor when considering a non-surgical cosmetic procedure,"
"Without clear regulation it appears it is a �buyers beware� market open to abuse. It is clear from the Face to Face documentary that the prescribing and administration of dermal fillers needs to be regulated. It would be a huge step forward for the MHRA to look at all the products in the same way as they do for medicines, giving the public confidence that only bone fide products are used.�
The documentary featured TV presenter Leslie Ash, who famously had trouble with dermal fillers to her lips in the past, focusing on the regulations and training procedures concerning non-surgical cosmetic treatments that are currently in place in the UK. Various non-invasive procedures were touched on in the show, including collagen and Botox, as well as dermal fillers.
Leslie Ash recently revealed that she would still consider cosmetic surgery in the future, despite her past experiences, claiming that a facelift may well be a present that she gives to herself for her fiftieth birthday.


text:
Pharma vet Whitaker takes the helm at Synta
Known for her accomplishments "beyond the pill" while the top US exec at Sanofi, pharma-marketing vet Anne Whitaker has taken her talents to Synta Pharmaceuticals, where she will serve as president and CEO, the company announced recently.
One of her main goals will involve transforming Synta from a clinical- to a marketing-stage company. Synta currently has no products on the market, but has a late-stage candidate in ganetespib—an experimental cancer drug currently in trials for non-small-cell lung cancer and breast cancer. Ganetespib is a heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) inhibitor—currently in Phase-III trials—which targets the chaperone protein Hsp90, known to play a role in helping cells grow and divide. Cancer cells rely on higher levels Hsp90 to multiply.
Whitaker said Synta's pre-clinical program, dubbed HDC, has "significant potential to generate new drug candidates."
Whitaker is no stranger to big transformations. Sanofi, the company she left earlier this summer, became known for more than just diabetes drugs under her three-year watch. These included a unique diabetes initiative involving the AgaMatrix iBGStar monitoring device, which syncs with an app allowing patients to track their blood sugar and then share data with doctors.
Prior to Sanofi, Whitaker worked at GSK as a sales rep and eventually attained the role of SVP and business unit head, cardiovascular, metabolic and urology.


text:
|28 Mar 2011
network bridge problems
i have a dlink adsl modem connected to a linksys wireless router
i connected the router into a pc with 2 network cards and the second card connects to a dlink gig switch
when i have the machine bridging enabled between the 2 network cards my laptop cannot connect to the wiresless network broudcast by the router, and when i turn off bridging it connects fine
all machines are using win7
|My System Specs
|28 Mar 2011
Windows 7 Ultimate x64
Just curious... why do you have your setup like that?
I have a DSL modem as well that works as a Server/Bridge. I keep it on Server.
How I have my settings and it works:
(LAN Config)
Subnet: 255.255.255.0
Linksys Router:
(WAN Config)
Subnet: 255.255.255.0
Gateway: 192.168.1.1
DNS: Comes from your DSL status page.
Subnet: 255.255.255.0
I have my settings as this:
DSL Modem ==> connected to ===> WAN port of Router ===> LAN 1 Port of Router ===> goes into main switch.
That way I don't have clients for computers and not a dedicated server for a computer where you need to keep your computer on for the network to be connected at all times.
So when I type:
Http://192.168.1.1 ==> access the WebUI for the DSL Modem
http://192.168.2.1 ===> access the WEBUI for linksys
All your client computers coming off the Linksys will have Dynamic IPs as:
192.168.2.2 - 192.168.2.254
|My System Specs
|29 Mar 2011
i am using it like that to link the 100mb network with the 1gb network so that they keep their respective speeds and do not slow to 100mb
|My System Specs
|29 Mar 2011
my dsl modem is set to be in bridge mode and the router does all the rest of the work in regars to the dhcp and loging on to the internet
|My System Specs
|Thread Tools
|Similar help and support threads
Network Bridge
Guys, please help me, I'm going crazy trying to get this to work!!! I am desperately trying to get my Home Network to Connect to my Wireless Internet. I created a Network bridge between my Home network (Humax box, PS3, TV, Netbook via Zyxel router) connected to a Laptop via ethernet cable and my...
|Network & Sharing
Network Bridge - Network Cable Unplugged
Hello: The problem I am having occurs when I make a Network bridge connecting my Local Area Connection with my Wireless Area Network to create a MAC Bridge Miniport. I have used this daily for connecting my Xbox 360 to Xbox Live and up till now has not given me any problems. I commonly...
|Network & Sharing
Network Bridge - Add or Remove Network Connections
How to Remove or Add a Network Connection to a Network Bridge If you have two or more networks connected by a network bridge, then this will show you how to remove or add a network connection to the bridge in Windows 7 and Windows 8. You should not add a public Internet connection to a...
Problems with network bridge and utorrent in Win 7
I am having some issues with Windows 7 and my network bridge. I currently have it setup like this...modem -> router -> laptop -> wireless bridge. The problem is whenever I have the bridge enabled, the port I have open for utorrent is blocked. When I disable the network bridge the port is open...
|Network & Sharing
couple of problems with network bridge
I use a network bridge between my wireless and wired adapters to put my 360 on Live, because the 360 Wireless Network Adapter is just waaaay too expensive. Anyway, it all worked completely fine under XP, but I just installed 7 and there's a couple of things I'm having trouble with... The...
|Network & Sharing
|Our Sites
|Site Links
|About Us
|Find Us
Windows 7 Forums is an independent web site and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Microsoft Corporation. "Windows 7" and related materials are trademarks of Microsoft Corp.
© Designer Media Ltd
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 23:30.


text:
Granite City Food & Brewery 10-K 2012
Use these links to rapidly review the document
Commission file number 000-29643
701 Xenia Avenue South, Suite 120
(952) 215-0660
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
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 o No ý
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 o No ý
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, and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ý No o
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 229.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes ý No o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer," and "smaller reporting company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes o No ý
As of June 28, 2011, the aggregate market value of the registrant's common stock held by non-affiliates (assuming for the sole purpose of this calculation, that all directors and officers of the registrant are "affiliates") was $8,922,639 (based on the closing sale price of the registrant's common stock as reported on the NASDAQ Capital Market). The number of shares of common stock outstanding at that date was 4,650,804 shares.
The number of shares of common stock outstanding as of March 15, 2012 was 4,785,472.
Table of Contents
We filed our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 27, 2011 (the "Form 10-K") on March 23, 2012, pursuant to which we incorporated by reference into Part III thereof portions of our definitive proxy statement for our 2012 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the "Proxy Statement") to be subsequently filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). We hereby amend the Form 10-K to file Part III information in this Form 10-K/A (the "Form 10-K/A") rather than incorporating it into the Form 10-K by reference to the Proxy Statement. Accordingly, Part III of the Form 10-K is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as set forth below. In addition, in connection with the filing of this Form 10-K/A and pursuant to the rules of the SEC, we are including in this amendment currently dated certifications. Accordingly, Item 15 of Part IV has also been amended to reflect the filing of these currently dated certifications.
This Form 10-K/A makes reference to the date of the Form 10-K, and we have not updated or amended the disclosures contained herein to reflect events that have occurred since the filing of the Form 10-K, or modified or updated the disclosures contained in the Form 10-K in any way other than as specifically set forth in this Form 10-K/A. Accordingly, this Form 10-K/A should be read in conjunction with the Form 10-K and other filings made by our company with the SEC subsequent thereto.
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance.
Our Directors
Our directors are elected annually, by a plurality of the votes cast, to serve until the next annual meeting of shareholders and until their respective successors are elected and duly qualified. There are no familial relationships between any director or officer.
DHW Leasing, L.L.C. ("DHW") and Concept Development Partners, LLC ("CDP") are parties to a shareholder and voting agreement and irrevocable proxy pursuant to which CDP has the right to nominate five members of our board, DHW has the right to nominate two members of our board, and CDP has voting power over DHW's shares. CDP and DHW have also agreed to vote for each others' nominees. CDP beneficially owns a majority of our common stock and DHW also is one of our significant shareholders. See "Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Shareholder MattersSecurity Ownership." Pursuant to these rights, DHW nominated Messrs. Hey and Longtin and CDP nominated Messrs. Doran, Bashour, Mucci, Rawlings, and Staenberg to our board.
The following table and related narrative set forth certain information concerning the members of our board of directors as of April 13, 2012.
Business Experience
Robert J. Doran has been the Chief Executive Officer of Granite City since May 2011. Mr. Doran has been a Managing Partner of CDP Management Partners, LLC ("CDP Management"), a merchant banking firm focusing on principal investments and consulting in the restaurant, food processing, and retail industries, since April 2010. He is the founder of Doran Consulting, a niche consulting group specializing in executive coaching since 1999, providing services to McDonald's Corporation, Bell South, Boston Markets, and Delphi Auto Parts. Mr. Doran was employed with McDonald's Corporation from January 1967 to March 1999 serving in a variety of regional director and vice president positions, most recently as Executive Vice President of McDonald's USA. Mr. Doran currently serves on the board of directors of Hawaii Development Company and McDonald's of Hawaii. Mr. Doran brings business consulting, executive leadership and extensive multi-location restaurant experience to our board.
Fouad Z. Bashour, who became Chairman of the Board of Granite City in May 2011, is a founding partner of CIC Partners Firm LP ("CIC Partners") and its current Chief Financial Officer, and has been with CIC Partners and its predecessor since 1999. Prior to joining CIC Partners, he worked at The Boston Consulting Group, a leading strategy consulting firm. Mr. Bashour currently serves as a director
of Red Mango, Inc. and Schuepbach Energy LLC. He is a former director of Bagby Energy Holdings, LP, Triumph Pacific Oil and Gas Company, Buffet Partners, L.P. (doing business as Furr's) and GreenLeaf Auto Recyclers LLC, where he served as co-chairman. Mr. Bashour brings business strategy consulting, capital markets and private equity experience to our board.
Charles J. Hey, who rejoined our board in October 2011, previously served as one of our directors from June 2010 to May 2011. Mr. Hey, who has been in the business of operating school bus contracts since 1962, currently serves as Chairman of the Board of School Bus, Inc., a transportation company. For a five-year period in the 1990's, Mr. Hey was a co-owner of Jasper State Bank. Mr. Hey co-owns DHW and, therefore, has interests in certain of our restaurant leases and our company's other transactions with DHW. See "Certain Relationships and Related TransactionsRelationship and Transactions with DHW." Mr. Hey brings business and banking experience to our board.
Joel C. Longtin became one of our directors in October 2009. He served as Chairman of the Board of Granite City from March 2010 through May 2011. Since January 2004, Mr. Longtin has been the President and Chief Executive Officer of JKL Enterprises, Inc. and Longtin Leasing, LLC, both of which are office equipment distribution and leasing companies. Mr. Longtin served as president of First American Bank in Sioux City, Iowa from November 2001 to January 2004. From 1990 to 2001, Mr. Longtin was the President of Mr. Gatti's, L.P. and Pizza Ranch, Inc. At that time, both of these entities were franchisors operating approximately 350 and 90 restaurants, respectively. Since 2007, Mr. Longtin has been a partner in the private equity firms of Harmony Equity Income Fund, L.L.C. and Harmony Equity Income Fund II, L.L.C. Mr. Longtin brings executive management experience in banking, restaurant and franchising industries to our board.
Louis M. Mucci joined our board in May 2011. Mr. Mucci has served as an advisor to the board of directors of Ruby's Tequilas, a restaurant company, since June 2007. From February 2007 until June 2009, Mr. Mucci was a senior advisor to SMH Capital Corp., an investment banking group, a company with shares registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Mr. Mucci has served on the board of directors of Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. since November 2004. Mr. Mucci is also the "audit committee financial expert" at Build-A-Bear and serves as Audit Committee Chairman and a member of the Nomination and Governance Committee. He held the position of Chief Financial Officer at BJ's Restaurants, Inc., a public company, and served on that company's board of directors from May 2002 until September 2005. Mr. Mucci also served as an advisor to the board of directors of BJ's Restaurants through December 2008. He retired from PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP in 2001 after 25 years as a partner with the firm. Mr. Mucci's most recent position at PricewaterhouseCoopers was Chairman of the West Coast Retail Group. In this role, he served on the firm's National Retail Executive Committee. Mr. Mucci had also served as the West Coast Personnel and Business Development partner. He led several quality control reviews of various offices within PricewaterhouseCoopers and has extensive securities experience, including initial public offerings, registration statements and other filings, and correspondence and dialog with the Securities and Exchange Commission. He also has significant litigation support experience in acting as an accounting expert witness for his clients. Mr. Mucci is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the California State Society of Certified Public Accountants and the Retail Executive Forum. Mr. Mucci obtained extensive financial and accounting expertise while serving as a partner of an independent accounting firm. During his tenure as Chief Financial Officer of BJ's Restaurants, he gained additional financial and accounting expertise in addition to store operations, human resources, workers compensation, insurance, corporate administration, and strategic planning experience. Mr. Mucci brings extensive financial expertise to our board and qualifies as an "audit committee financial expert" as such term is defined under applicable SEC rules. In addition, given his experience with other consumer-focused businesses, Mr. Mucci provides valuable insights and perspectives regarding financing and operations to our board.
Michael S. Rawlings, who joined our board in May 2011, is a founding partner of CIC Partners and its current Vice-Chairman, and has been with the firm since 2004. In June 2011, Mr. Rawlings was elected mayor of Dallas, Texas. From 1997 to 2003, Mr. Rawlings was President of Pizza Hut, Inc. Before joining Pizza Hut, he was Chief Executive Officer of DDB Needham Dallas Group (formerly Tracy-Locke), the largest marketing communications agency in the Southwest, whose clients have included Frito-Lay, Pepsi, GTE and American Airlines. Mr. Rawlings currently serves as Chairman of Legends Hospitality Management, LLC, and as a director of Adina for Life, Inc. and River Point Farms. He is a former director of Buffet Partners, Main Street Restaurant Group, Inc., Quiznos, and Signstorey, Inc. Mr. Rawlings formerly served as the City of Dallas Park and Recreation Board President and as Dallas' Homeless Czar and Chairman for the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau. In addition, he is on the Board of Trustees at Jesuit College Preparatory and has been an active lecturer at many universities, as well as an adjunct professor at Southern Methodist University. Mr. Rawlings brings restaurant operations and leadership, marketing and communications and private equity experience to our board.
Michael H. Staenberg, who joined our board in May 2011, has been the President of THF Realty, a leasing, development, and real estate management company, since he founded the company in September 1991. THF Realty currently has over 22 million square feet of property and retail shopping centers under management. Mr. Staenberg has served as the developer of more than 100 shopping centers in over 25 states. Prior to founding THF Realty, Mr. Staenberg was employed as a real estate broker and served as Senior Vice President and Director of Real Estate for Leo Eisenberg Company, a national real estate development company, from 1981 to 1990. Mr. Staenberg has served on the Advisory Board of Directors of US Bank, N.A. since March 2011. Mr. Staenberg is involved with a variety of organizations, including The Sheldon Concert Hall, Center for Contemporary Arts, Variety Club, St. Louis Zoo Foundation, Regional Business Council-Executives for Regional Growth and Civic Change, Judy Ride, Jewish Community Center Association, American Society for Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, St. Louis Effort for Aids and Holocaust Museum. In addition, he has been a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers since 1976 and the Metropolitan St. Louis Board of Realtors since 1984. Mr. Staenberg brings extensive real estate leasing, development and management experience to our board.
Steven J. Wagenheim, who served as our Chief Executive Officer from June 1997 through May 2011, currently serves as our President, Founder and one of our directors. He has been a board member since 1997 and served as Chairman of the Board of Granite City from July 2006 to February 2009. Mr. Wagenheim has over 30 years of hospitality industry experience as a corporate executive, owner/operator, manager and consultant for hotels, resorts, and individual and multi-unit restaurant operations. Mr. Wagenheim previously served as Chief Executive Officer and principal shareholder of New Brighton Ventures, Inc., an investment holding company that formerly operated a Champps Americana restaurant in New Brighton, Minnesota. Between 1989 and 1997, Mr. Wagenheim was involved in the expansion and operations of Champps restaurants, holding positions with Champps Entertainment, Inc., Champps Development Group, Inc. and Americana Dining Corporation. Mr. Wagenheim brings three decades of hospitality industry experience to our board.
Our Executive Officers
Pursuant to General Instruction G(3) to Form 10-K and Instruction 3 to Item 401(b) of Regulation S-K, information regarding our executive officers was provided in Part I of our Form 10-K under separate caption.
Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance
Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires our officers, directors and persons who own more than 10% of a registered class of our equity securities to file reports of ownership and changes in ownership with the SEC. Such officers, directors and shareholders are required by the SEC to furnish us with copies of all such reports. To our knowledge, based solely on a review of copies of reports filed with the SEC during the last fiscal year, all applicable Section 16(a) filing requirements were met, except that (a) one report on Form 4 for Joel C. Longtin setting forth his direct acquisition of 400 shares on May 16, 2011, (b) one report on Form 4 for Joel C. Longtin setting forth his stock option grant in the amount of 5,000 shares on October 5, 2011, and (c) one report on Form 3 for Charles J. Hey setting forth his initial beneficial ownership on October 18, 2011, were not filed on a timely basis.
Code of Ethics
We have adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that applies to our employees, officers (including our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, and persons performing similar functions) and directors. Our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics satisfies the requirements of Item 406(b) of Regulation S-K and applicable NASDAQ Marketplace Rules. Our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics is posted on our internet website at www.gcfb.net and is available, free of charge, upon written request to our Corporate Secretary at 701 Xenia Avenue South, Suite 120, Minneapolis, MN 55416. We intend to disclose any amendment to or waiver from a provision of our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that requires disclosure on our website at www.gcfb.net.
Audit Committee Matters
Our audit committee was established in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). Each member of our audit committee is independent as defined in Rule 5605(a)(2) of the Marketplace Rules of the NASDAQ Stock Market and Exchange Act Rule 10A-3. Further, no member of our audit committee participated in the preparation of the financial statements of our company or any current subsidiary of our company at any time during the past three years. The membership of our audit committee is set forth above under the caption "Our Directors."
Pursuant to our listing agreement with the NASDAQ Stock Market, each member of our audit committee is able to read and understand fundamental financial statements, including an issuer's balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement and at least one member of the committee has past employment experience in finance or accounting, requisite professional certification in accounting, or other comparable experience or background which results in the individual's financial sophistication. In addition, our board of directors has determined that Mr. Mucci is an audit committee financial expert as such term is defined by Item 407(d)(5) of Regulation S-K.
Item 11. Executive Compensation.
Summary Compensation Table
The following table sets forth information concerning the compensation of our named executive officers for fiscal years 2011 and 2010. Messrs. Doran and Wagenheim, who also serve as directors, receive no additional compensation for their board service.
The 2010 entries represent aggregate grant date fair value computed in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. The assumptions made in the valuation are those set forth in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements in our Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 27, 2011. Details regarding the terms of such awards appear below under the caption "Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End."
Components of Executive Officer Compensation
Base Salary. Named executive officers receive a base salary to compensate them for services rendered throughout the year. Base salary is intended to recognize each officer's responsibilities, role in the organization, experience level, and contributions to the success of our company. The compensation committee sets base salaries for the named executive officers at or above market level for the industry based on our benchmarking data.
Pursuant to the terms of our employment agreements with our named executive officers, the compensation committee reviews individual performance and base salary level each year. In general, the compensation committee has the sole discretion to increase (but not decrease) the base salaries of our named executive officers.
Stock Option Awards. The compensation committee grants stock options to our named executive officers to provide additional incentives to maximize our company's share value, and to make equity ownership an important component of executive compensation. Stock option award levels are determined based on market data, and vary based on an individual's position within our company, time at our company, and contributions to our company's performance. Stock options are granted at the closing market price of our common stock on the date of grant and vest over time.
Annual Incentive Compensation. Our named executive officers receive annual incentive compensation to reward achievement of our key financial performance goals in accordance with our non-equity incentive plan. These annual key financial performance goals are sales, restaurant-level EBITDA, general and administrative cost control, and earnings per share. They are based on annual operating budgets established by management and submitted to our board of directors for review. Annual incentive compensation is paid quarterly in cash. We weigh financial metrics differently for our named executive officers, depending on the different outcomes we are seeking to incentivize. Our compensation committee can, at its discretion, recommend to the board that awards be adjusted based on the executive's individual performance. Fifty percent of the quarterly bonuses are held in reserve, subject to verification of our company's performance after audited financial results become available. The targeted amounts for annual incentive compensation are set at or above market level for the industry based on our benchmarking data.
Employment Agreements with Current Executive Officers
In May 2011, we entered into employment agreements with Messrs. Doran and Oakey. Each agreement provides for employment with the company through December 31, 2012, to be extended for additional one-year terms upon the mutual agreement of our company and the executive. Each executive is entitled to severance benefits including one year of base salary if his employment is terminated without cause or for good reason, including upon a change in control, in addition to his base salary for the remainder of the term. The agreements provide for an annual base salary, which may be increased by our board of directors, eligibility for an annual bonus of up to 50% of base salary based on achieving performance targets determined by our compensation committee, participation in our company's other employee benefit plans and expense reimbursement. Each executive has also agreed to certain nondisclosure provisions during the term of his employment and any time thereafter, and certain non-competition and non-recruitment provisions during the term of his employment and for a certain period thereafter.
We also have employment agreements with Messrs. Wagenheim and Gilbertson. Each agreement, as amended in June 2010, provides for employment with the company through October 6, 2012, to be extended for additional one-year terms unless either our company or the executive gives notice at least 60 days before the termination date of an intent not to extend. Each executive is entitled to severance benefits including one year of base salary if his employment is terminated without cause or for good reason, including upon a change in control, in addition to his base salary for the remainder of the term. If we elect not to extend the executive's employment beyond October 6, 2012, or beyond the end of any applicable extension, and terminate executive's employment, such termination will be deemed to be a termination without cause for purposes of severance benefits and the payment of his base salary through the end of the applicable term. The agreements also provide for an annual base salary, which may be increased by our board of directors, eligibility for incentive compensation as determined by our compensation committee from time to time, and participation in our company's other employee benefit plans. Each executive has also agreed to certain nondisclosure provisions during the term of his employment and any time thereafter, and certain non-competition, non-recruitment and/or non-interference provisions during the term of his employment and for a certain period thereafter.
In May 2011, we entered into an amended and restated employment agreement with Mr. Wagenheim to address his new position as President and Founder of our company and to provide that the May 2011 closing of the CDP transaction did not constitute a "change in control" under Mr. Wagenheim's employment agreement.
Consulting Agreement
Prior to their employment by our company, Messrs. Doran and Oakey served in a consulting capacity to our company under our engagement agreement with CDP Management Partners, LLC ("CDP Management"), a merchant banking firm focusing on principal investments and consulting in the restaurant, food processing, and retail industries. Messrs. Doran and Oakey are managing partners of CDP Management, which is a co-owner of CDP. Under this agreement, CDP Management acted as an operating consultant to our company in connection with planning and executing a management strategy to ensure the growth stability of our company prior to closing of the CDP transaction. The engagement provided for the management services of Messrs. Doran and Oakey for the period of time commencing January 10, 2011 through May 10, 2011. In connection with its engagement, CDP Management consulted and advised our company management in operating our company, analyzing operating practices, analyzing operating costs, analyzing existing restaurant facilities for upgrades to drive revenue growth, and analyzing and establishing a go-forward development plan for new restaurant growth. For CDP Management's services during 2011, we paid total fees of $162,000. In addition, we agreed to reimburse CDP Management for its reasonable third-party out-of-pocket expenses, not to exceed $6,000 per month. Messrs. Doran and Oakey each own 50% of CDP Management. As a result, half of the consulting fees paid to CDP Management appears in the "All Other Compensation" entry for each of Messrs. Doran and Oakey in the Summary Compensation Table above.
Equity-Based Compensatory Arrangement of Concept Development Partners
Prior to the May 2011 closing of the CDP transaction, the members of CDP entered into an amended and restated limited liability company agreement. Under the agreement, Messrs. Doran and Oakey, as employee members, agreed to devote substantially all of their business time and efforts to CDP and our company for as long as they are employees of CDP or our company. As consideration for the services to be rendered under such agreement, Messrs. Doran and Oakey became participants in a CDP profits interest plan pursuant to which they become vested over time in a portion of their equity interest in CDP. Messrs. Doran and Oakey became vested in 33.1 percent of CDP Management's Class B units in CDP on the May 2011 closing of the CDP transaction. Subject to continued employment, they become vested in an additional 22.3 percent of such units on each of the first, second and third anniversaries of such closing. They would become 100 percent vested in such profits interest in the event of a change in control of CDP or our company. As a result, this profits interest, which can be depicted as set forth below, constitutes equity-based compensation paid by a third party for services rendered by Messrs. Doran and Oakey to our company.
As a consequence of these ownership interests and the related vesting schedule, the indirect increasing pecuniary interests of Messrs. Doran and Oakey in the shares of Granite City common stock issuable upon conversion of the shares of Granite City Series A Preferred held by CDP is as follows:
Each of Messrs. Doran and Oakey have a 50 percent interest in such securities since they are each 50 percent owners of CDP Management.
Option Exchange Program
On December 28, 2010, our compensation committee approved an option exchange program, subject to shareholder approval. Following receipt of shareholder approval on May 10, 2011, we commenced an offer on May 25, 2011 pursuant to which we provided eligible employees, including executive officers, the opportunity to exchange outstanding options with an exercise price in excess of $6.00 per share for the same number of new options granted under our Amended and Restated Equity Incentive Plan with an exercise price of $2.00 per share. The exercise price of the new options was greater than the closing price of one share of our common stock on the grant date of the new options. Eligible employees had the opportunity to exchange these options for new options regardless of whether the options were vested or unvested; however, all of the new options vested in full one year after the date of grant, namely December 28, 2011, subject to continued employment through such date and subject to the terms of the new option agreement. The offer expired on June 23, 2011. A total of 32 eligible employees participated in the offer. We accepted for cancellation options to purchase an aggregate of 188,696 shares of our common stock, which were cancelled as of June 23, 2011, and, in exchange, delivered new options to purchase an aggregate of 188,696 shares of our common stock with an exercise price of $2.00 per share.
At the time of the offer to exchange, three of our five named executive officers held eligible options for the purchase of 129,995 shares of common stock out of the total 189,529 shares of common stock that were subject to existing options which were eligible for surrender in the option exchange program. Messrs. Doran and Oakey did not hold eligible options at the time of the offer to exchange. The following chart sets forth details regarding the exchanged options held by our executive officers. The options values set forth in the table below were based upon price per share of our common stock of $1.905, the closing price of one share of our common stock on the NASDAQ Capital Market on December 28, 2010, the date of grant. The aggregate incremental fair value received by our executive officers based upon the Black-Scholes valuation of our option exchange at the date of grant was $56,195, allocated as follows: Mr. Wagenheim, $34,228; Mr. Gilbertson, $12,115; and Mr. Gilanfar, $9,852.
Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End
The following table sets forth certain information concerning outstanding stock options held by our named executive officers as of December 27, 2011:
Potential Payments upon Termination or Change in Control
Upon the termination of a named executive officer or change in control of the company, a named executive officer may be entitled to payments or the provision of other benefits, depending on the triggering event.
The potential payments for each named executive officer who is currently employed with our company were determined as part of the negotiation of each of their employment agreements, and the compensation committee believes that the potential payments for the triggering events are in line with current compensation trends. The events that would trigger a current named executive officer's entitlement to payments or other benefits upon termination or a change in control, and the value of the estimated payments and benefits, based on annual base salaries in effect as of January 1, 2012, are described in the following table, assuming a termination date and, where applicable, a change in control
date of December 27, 2011, and a stock price of $2.21 per share, which was the closing price of one share of our common stock on such date.
Upon an involuntary termination without cause or a voluntary termination for good reason, the affected executive also would be entitled to receive base compensation through the end of the applicable employment agreement term. Because the amount of such base compensation is indeterminable, it is not included in the amounts set forth above. Furthermore, as to Messrs. Wagenheim and Gilbertson, if we elect not to extend the executive's employment beyond October 6, 2012, or beyond the end of any applicable extension, and terminate executive's employment, such termination will be deemed to be a termination without cause for purposes of the severance benefits set forth above and the continuation of base compensation through the end of the applicable term.
Separation Agreement with Former Executive Officer
Until his resignation from our company on November 29, 2011, we had an employment agreement with Mr. Gilanfar that was substantially similar to our employment agreements with Messrs. Wagenheim and Gilbertson. On December 1, 2011, we entered into a separation agreement with Mr. Gilanfar. In consideration of a release, Mr. Gilanfar received payments aggregating $218,464, a separate bonus payment of $31,172, and payment of the company portion of medical (COBRA)
premiums through December 1, 2012. Pursuant to the separation agreement, Mr. Gilanfar's outstanding options were amended as follows:
Options Amended to Extend Exercisability for Five Years from November 29, 2011:
Options Amended to Accelerate Vesting from December 28, 2011 to November 29, 2011:
All other options held by Mr. Gilanfar were forfeited as of his termination date.
Shareholder Approval of Executive Compensation Proposals
Although our company is a smaller reporting company, we voluntarily presented both "say-on-pay" and "say-on-frequency" proposals to our shareholders at our 2011 special meeting of shareholders held in May 2011. The non-binding advisory say-on-pay proposal, pursuant to which we sought shareholder approval of the compensation of our named executive officers, was approved by 96.7 percent of those voting on the proposal. Of those voting on the non-binding advisory say-on-frequency proposal, 93.1 percent recommended that we hold a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation every three years. In light of this result, our board of directors has determined that we will hold a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation every three years, until the next required shareholder non-binding advisory vote on the frequency of shareholder voting on executive compensation, which, in accordance with applicable law, will occur no later than our annual meeting of shareholders to be held in 2014, unless our board otherwise determines that a different frequency of non-binding advisory votes on executive compensation is in the best interests of our shareholders.
Non-Employee Director Compensation
Standard Compensation Arrangements
Our compensation committee periodically reviews and makes recommendations to our board of directors regarding the components and amount of non-employee director compensation. Directors who are employees of our company receive no fees for their service as director.
In June 2011, our board of directors, based upon the recommendation of the compensation committee, approved the following standard compensation arrangements for our non-employee directors, our Chairman of the Board and our committee chairpersons:
Annual Retainer for Non-Employee Directors and Chairman of the Board
Compensation of Committee Members
Prior to these June 2011 modifications, our non-employee directors received an annual retainer of $10,000, paid in quarterly installments, and $500 per meeting for attending board meetings, committee meetings and the annual meeting of shareholders. The chairpersons of our audit committee and compensation committee each received an additional annual retainer of $5,000. The chairperson of our corporate governance and nominating committee received an additional annual retainer of $2,500. In addition, each non-employee director also received automatic awards of stock options for the purchase of 5,000 shares of common stock per year on the anniversary of his election to the board. Such awards, which became exercisable in full on the first anniversary of the date of grant, had a ten-year term. Although such practice has been discontinued pursuant to the board actions taken in June 2011, the board further determined that the stock options that would have been awarded to Milton D. Avery, one of our former directors, and Joel C. Longtin, one of our current directors, in 2011 pursuant to this particular compensation arrangement should still be made and such awards were made in June 2011 and October 2011, respectively.
Equity For Departing Directors
In March 2011, our board of directors resolved to provide certain cash and non-cash, stock-based compensation to its members who remained on the board following the closing of the CDP transaction, and those who resigned from the board concurrent with such closing. These awards were in consideration of their service to the company in connection with the CDP and related transactions.
Mr. Longtin, then chairman of our board, received $40,000 for his role as lead director in negotiating the transactions, and each of our other then independent directors (Messrs. Avery, Gramm and Timpe) received $7,500 for his service in reviewing and approving the transactions.
In addition, our board of directors determined to provide non-cash, stock-based compensation to resigning members to compensate them for the forfeitures of stock options or ordinary course awards they would otherwise experience due to their resignations in connection with the transactions, and to continuing members for their service in connection with negotiating, reviewing and approving the transactions.
The following summarizes actions taken by our board:
Director Compensation Table
Compensation of our non-employee directors during fiscal year 2011 appears in the following table. Because Messrs. Doran and Wagenheim also served as executive officers in fiscal year 2011, their compensation, including information regarding their unexercised stock options, is instead presented in the Summary Compensation Table.
Those who served as non-employee directors during fiscal year 2011 held the following unexercised options at fiscal year-end 2011. Unless otherwise noted below, each such option is exercisable in full on the first anniversary of the date of grant.
Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Shareholder Matters.
Security Ownership
The following table sets forth certain information known to us regarding beneficial ownership of our voting securities as of April 13, 2012, by (1) each person who is known to us to own beneficially more than five percent of any class of our voting securities, (2) each director, (3) each executive officer named in the summary compensation table above, and (4) all current directors and executive officers as a group. The percentage of beneficial ownership is based on 4,831,662 shares of common stock and 3,000,000 shares of Series A Preferred outstanding as of April 13, 2012. As indicated in the footnotes, shares issuable pursuant to derivative securities are deemed outstanding for computing the percentage of the person holding such derivative securities but are not deemed outstanding for computing the percentage of any other person. Except as otherwise noted below or pursuant to applicable community property laws, each person identified below has sole voting and investment power with respect to the
listed shares and none of the listed shares has been pledged as security. Except as otherwise noted below, we know of no agreements among our shareholders that relate to voting or investment power with respect to our voting securities. Unless otherwise indicated, the address for each listed shareholder is c/o Granite City Food & Brewery Ltd., 701 Xenia Avenue South, Suite 120, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55416.
a warrant. Because Mr. Hey may be deemed to be an indirect beneficial owner of the shares of common stock held by DHW, the number of shares of common stock reported herein as beneficially owned by Mr. Hey also includes the 1,666,666 shares of common stock beneficially owned by DHW.
Equity Compensation Plan Information
The following table provides information as of the end of fiscal year 2011 with respect to compensation plans under which our equity securities are authorized for issuance.
Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence.
Review and Approval of Transactions with Related Persons
Our audit committee is responsible for reviewing any proposed transaction with a related person. In April 2007, our board of directors adopted a written policy for the review and approval of related person transactions requiring disclosure under Rule 404(a) of Regulation S-K. This policy states that the audit committee is responsible for reviewing and approving or disapproving all interested transactions, which are defined as any transaction, arrangement or relationship in which (a) the amount involved may be expected to exceed $120,000 in any fiscal year, (b) our company will be a participant, and (c) a related person has a direct or indirect material interest. A related person is defined as an executive officer, director or nominee for director, or a greater than five percent beneficial owner of any class of our voting securities, or an immediate family member of the foregoing. The policy deems certain interested transactions to be pre-approved, including the employment and compensation of executive officers, and the compensation paid to directors.
The related-party transactions described below were approved by our board of directors and audit committee in accordance with our policy for the review and approval of related person transactions. All future related-party transactions will be reviewed and approved or disapproved by our board of directors and audit committee in accordance with the foregoing policy.
Relationship and Transactions with DHW
From October 2009 until May 2011, DHW, an entity controlled by Donald A. Dunham, Jr. and Charles J. Hey, beneficially owned approximately 64% of our common stock. DHW had historically been our primary source of financing for furniture, fixtures and equipment. DHW acquired such shares pursuant to an October 2009 debt conversion transaction in which the approximately $15 million of outstanding balances on equipment leases was converted into equity in our company. In May 2011, we repurchased 3,000,000 shares of common stock from DHW for $7.05 million pursuant to a stock repurchase agreement. Following such repurchase, DHW beneficially owned 1,666,666 shares, or approximately 35.8%, of our common stock. CDP has voting power over such shares pursuant to a shareholder and voting agreement and irrevocable proxy between CDP and DHW, dated May 10, 2011.
Mr. Dunham, one of two principals of DHW, managing member of Dunham Capital Management, L.L.C. ("DCM") and 70% owner of Dunham Equity Management, L.L.C. ("DEM"), became one of our directors in October 2009 and served on our board until May 2011. Mr. Hey, the other principal of DHW, became one of our directors in June 2010 and served on our board until May 2011. Mr. Hey was re-elected to our board in October 2011. DHW, DCM and DEM are collectively referred to herein as the "Dunham Entities."
Real Estate Interests
DCM and DEM are entities that either are the landlord or the general partner in various limited partnerships that own real estate leased to our company. Mr. Dunham, as an individual, also owns a limited partnership interest in two of the limited partnerships that own real estate leased to our company. Mr. Hey, as an individual, also owns a limited partnership interest in five of the limited partnerships that lease real estate to our company. In particular, as of April 13, 2012, Messrs. Dunham and Hey held interests, directly and indirectly, in the leases of 12 of our restaurants, as follows:
In August 2010, we reached an agreement with DCM, the landlord at our South Bend, Indiana and Indianapolis, Indiana restaurant locations, and its lender, First Midwest Bank, or First Midwest, to acquire ownership of improvements leased by DCM to our company at these leased locations. The total amount of DCM debt on these improvements approximated $1.8 million. We agreed to acquire ownership of such improvements by assuming $1.35 million of DCM's debt to First Midwest, paying $429,000 of DCM's remaining obligation to First Midwest, assuming DCM's obligations under the ground leases for those locations and indemnifying DCM for losses relating to the ground leases after the date of our assumption of the ground leases. The total purchase price we will pay is based upon a 20-year amortization, with a balloon payment due January 1, 2018. This debt requires the payment of interest at 5% per year until July 1, 2015, at which time the interest rate adjusts to the then market rate, but not to exceed 7% per year. During fiscal year 2011, the largest aggregate amount of principal outstanding on our debt due First Midwest was $1,330,087, and we paid $37,952 towards principal and $65,737 towards interest. As of April 13, 2012, the amount of principal outstanding due First Midwest was $1,277,888. Our rent expense under this agreement includes $2,831 per month which we pay to First Midwest on behalf of DCM.
In December 2010, we entered into an agreement with General Growth Properties and DCM to terminate the ground lease for the Rogers, Arkansas location. As part of the transaction, we agreed to make the termination payment to General Growth Properties on behalf of DCM, in the amount of $400,000. This debt requires the payment of interest and principal through August 1, 2015, at which time such debt is scheduled to be paid in full. In connection with the termination of the ground lease we also indemnified DCM for losses relating to the ground lease termination and the note evidencing the termination payment. In addition, we terminated the lease from DCM to our company and in
return we agreed to pay DCM $1,005,158. This debt requires the payment of interest and principal through August 1, 2030, at which time such debt is scheduled to be paid in full. During fiscal year 2011, the largest aggregate amount of principal outstanding on our debt due DCM was $1,005,158, and we paid $23,532 towards principal and $37,218 towards interest, within an interest rate of 5%. As of April 13, 2012, the amount of principal outstanding due DCM under this agreement was $970,877. During fiscal year 2011, the largest aggregate amount of principal outstanding on our debt due General Growth Properties was $400,000, and we paid $81,487 towards principal and $23,584 towards interest, with an interest rate of 6%. As of April 13, 2012, the amount of principal outstanding due General Growth Properties was $292,325.
In May 2011, we completed the purchase of an approximately two-acre site in Troy, Michigan, together with all plans, permits and related assets associated with the property, from DCM for approximately $2.6 million. Pursuant to the February 2011 real estate purchase agreement, we agreed to pay for the closing costs of the real estate transaction and to accept the property in "As Is" condition. The Troy, Michigan property was acquired by DCM on August 1, 2008 for $2.0 million for the purpose of constructing a Granite City restaurant to be leased to us. As a result of the economic challenges faced by the restaurant industry and our profit margins, we originally declined to proceed with such development and entered into an agreement with DCM to reimburse it for its carrying costs of such real estate. From August 1, 2008 to August 31, 2010, we paid an aggregate of $106,972 to DCM in reimbursement of DCM's interest expense and taxes paid with respect to such site.
Effective June 1, 2011, DCM and GC Rosedale, L.L.C. granted us (i) a five-year option to acquire fee title to improvements on the leased premises for restaurants leased to us in Fort Wayne, Indiana; Creve Coeur, Missouri; Madison, Wisconsin; Roseville, Minnesota; Rockford, Illinois; and Maumee, Ohio, and (ii) the right to assume the ground leases on such properties by paying off the respective debt owed on the properties at the time as amortized to the date of exercise. DCM and GC Rosedale, L.L.C. agreed to reduce the debt owed to their lenders, which are secured by such properties, in accordance with the amortization schedule then in effect and agreed that they will not create additional debt against the properties through the end of the five-year option period. After our company assumes one or more of such ground leases, any maintenance or other capital expenditures required to be made on such properties would be made by us in accordance with the provisions of existing land leases for those properties. If upon exercise of one or more of our options to acquire title to the improvements and assume the related ground lease, a full release of DCM's or GC Rosedale, L.L.C.'s obligations, as applicable, under the applicable ground lease cannot be achieved, we have agreed to indemnify DCM or GC Rosedale, L.L.C., as applicable, against any obligation which has not been released.
Rent and Cash Flow Reductions
Effective June 1, 2011, DCM entered into lease amendments with our company pursuant to which DCM agreed to reduce fixed rents on six leases by an aggregate of $300,000 per year. The leases are for restaurants leased to us in Fort Wayne, Indiana; Creve Coeur, Missouri; Madison, Wisconsin; Roseville, Minnesota; Rockford, Illinois; and Maumee, Ohio. DCM and GC Rosedale, L.L.C. also agreed that there would be no additional common area or management charges due on the properties unless they are flow-through payments required under the respective land leases. DCM and GC Rosedale, L.L.C. further agreed that to the extent DHW sells additional shares of our common stock or otherwise reduces its loans to banks (the "DHW Loans") following the May 2011 stock repurchase transaction described below, the aggregate of rents due on the above-specified leases will be decreased ratably by $0.0425 for every dollar of proceeds from DHW's sales of common stock owned by DHW or, without duplication, for each dollar of principal amount that the DHW Loans are decreased. The aggregate amount of such additional reductions resulting from such stock sales may not exceed $297,500 per year.
Stock Repurchase
In February 2011, we entered into a stock repurchase agreement with DHW and its affiliates, including Messrs. Dunham and Hey, DCM and CDP, pursuant to which we repurchased 3,000,000 shares of our issued and outstanding common stock from DHW for $7.05 million in May 2011. The purchase price, before attributing any value to lease restructuring, options and other considerations, represents $2.35 per share. DHW acquired such shares in October 2009 at an approximate cost of $3.24 per share. The funds for the stock repurchase were provided by our sale of 3,000,000 shares of Series A Preferred to CDP for $9.0 million and a draw from the credit facility we established with Fifth Third Bank.
DHW has granted us a right of first refusal to purchase any additional shares which DHW may determine to sell prior to the later of May 2016, or the date on which DHW has repaid in full its current obligations to its banks. Under the right of first refusal, DHW is obligated to give us written notice of such intent and we must exercise our right to purchase such shares within seven business days following a receipt of such notice, on the same terms. The purchase price for shares to be purchased in a non-public transaction will be the per share price set forth in DHW's written notice, which will be a bona fide arms-length price with a third party or, if DHW proposes to sell such shares in the public market, the purchase price will be the closing price of our common stock on the date of the notice. If we do not elect to purchase all of the common stock contained in DHW's offer notice, CDP shall have the right to purchase all or the remainder of the common stock on the terms set forth in DHW's notice.
The stock repurchase agreement contains, or refers to, additional agreements pursuant to which (1) DHW obtained the right to appoint three observers to our board of directors, (2) we paid the reasonable legal fees of DHW's counsel in the stock repurchase transaction, including the legal and appraisal fees of DHW's banks, not to exceed $100,000 in the aggregate, (3) we amended the debt conversion agreement to provide that DHW may not sell or dispose of our shares until December 31, 2015, except as set forth in the stock repurchase agreement, (4) we terminated DHW's right to participate in future issuances of new shares, and (5) we amended our registration rights agreement with DHW to provide that DHW's registration rights were temporarily suspended.
Relationship and Transactions with Harmony
In March 2009, we entered into a bridge loan agreement with a group of accredited investors pursuant to which we received $800,000 of partially convertible debt financing. The lead investors in the transaction were Harmony Equity Income Fund, L.L.C. and Harmony Equity Income Fund II, L.L.C. (collectively, "Harmony"). Prior to our entry into the bridge loan agreement and prior to becoming a member of our board of directors, Joel C. Longtin, one of our directors, purchased a 1% interest in Harmony Equity Income Fund, L.L.C. and a 1.6% interest in Harmony Equity Income Fund II, L.L.C. Mr. Longtin also is an officer in the Harmony funds. In March 2011, we entered into an amendment to our bridge loan agreement that gave Harmony the right to convert the entire principal balance and accrued interest on such notes into our common stock at a conversion price of $3.00 per share. As consideration for this amendment, Harmony agreed temporarily to defer all payments of principal and interest on the notes. In May 2011, we issued 106,892 shares of common stock to each of the Harmony funds upon the conversion into equity in full of these promissory notes, which at the time aggregated $641,353 in principal and accrued interest.
Real Estate Interests of Other Directors
Joel C. Longtin, one of our directors, holds a 4.17% limited partnership interest in the GC Holdings Limited Partnership, the partnership which holds the lease of our Zona Rosa, Kansas restaurant.
Consulting Services
Darius H. Gilanfar, who served as our Chief Operating Officer until November 2011, is married to Heidi Martin Gilanfar, who served as a human resources/marketing consultant to our company through August 2011. We paid Ms. Gilanfar $86,500, $142,500 and $140,800 for such services in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively.
Personal Guaranties
Our board of directors agreed to compensate Steven J. Wagenheim, our president, founder and one of our directors, for his personal guaranties of equipment loans entered into in August 2003, January 2004 and August 2006. The amount of annual compensation for each of these guarantees was 3% of the balance of the obligation and was calculated and accrued based on the weighted average daily balance of the obligation at the end of each monthly accounting period. As of May 10, 2011, each of such loans had been paid in full and no additional compensation expense related to such loans will accrue. During fiscal years 2011 and 2010, we recorded $6,495 and $31,509 of such compensation in general and administrative expense, respectively, and paid $21,291 and $113,163 of such compensation, respectively.
Director Independence
Our board is comprised of a majority of "independent" directors as defined in Rule 5605(a)(2) of the Marketplace Rules of the NASDAQ Stock Market. In this regard, our board has affirmatively determined that Messrs. Bashour, Longtin, Mucci, Rawlings and Staenberg are independent directors under that rule. Our board determined that the indirect pecuniary interests of Messrs. Bashour and Rawlings in CDP, our controlling shareholder, and Mr. Longtin's membership and beneficial interest in Harmony Equity Income Fund, L.L.C. and Harmony Equity Income Fund II, L.L.C., did not prevent it from reaching a determination that Messrs. Bashour, Rawlings and Longtin are independent. Mr. Hey, co-owner of DHW; Mr. Doran, our Chief Executive Officer; and Mr. Wagenheim, our President and Founder, are not independent directors. Milton D. Avery, who served on our board during 2011, was an independent director.
Our board of directors has an audit committee, a compensation committee, a corporate governance and nominating committee, and an executive committee. With the exception of the executive committee, each committee consists solely of members who are independent as defined in Rule 5605(a)(2) of the Marketplace Rules of the NASDAQ Stock Market. In addition, each member of the audit committee is independent as defined in Exchange Act Rule 10A-3 and each member of the compensation committee is a non-employee director and is an outside director under the rules of the SEC and the IRS, respectively.
Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services.
Audit and Non-Audit Fees
The following table presents fees for audit and other services provided by Schechter, Dokken, Kanter, Andrews & Selcer, Ltd. for fiscal years 2011 and 2010.
Our audit committee reviewed the audit and non-audit services rendered by Schechter, Dokken, Kanter, Andrews & Selcer, Ltd. during fiscal year 2011 and concluded that such services were compatible with maintaining the auditor's independence.
Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures
All services provided by our independent registered public accounting firm, Schechter, Dokken, Kanter, Andrews & Selcer, Ltd., are subject to pre-approval by our audit committee. The audit committee has authorized each of its members to approve services by our independent registered public accounting firm in the event there is a need for such approval prior to the next full audit committee meeting. Any interim approval given by an audit committee member must be reported to the audit committee no later than its next scheduled meeting. Before granting any approval, the audit committee (or a committee member, if applicable) gives due consideration to whether approval of the proposed service will have a detrimental impact on the independence of our independent registered public accounting firm. The audit committee pre-approved all services provided by Schechter, Dokken, Kanter, Andrews & Selcer, Ltd. in our last fiscal year.
Item 15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules.
(a)(3) Exhibits.
The exhibits filed as part of the Annual Report on Form 10-K, as amended, are listed on the Exhibit Index immediately preceding such exhibits, which Exhibit Index is incorporated by reference to this Item 15.
(b) Exhibits.
See Exhibit Index.
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized on April 24, 2012.
In accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant, and in the capacities and on the date indicated.


text:
The Service enables users (hereinafter Users) with a terminal (laptop, mobile, personal digital assistant, etc. hereinafter Terminal) compatible with Wi-Fi to wirelessly connect to the Internet using the Wi-Fi network. The Service does not include providing email accounts or hosting websites.
The Service can be used to access the Internet by anyone visiting the public areas of the Resort equipped for this purpose.
The Service can be accessed during the opening hours of the public places covered by the Wi-Fi service. To access the Service, Users must provide their email address.
To subscribe to the Service, Users must provide correct contact details during login. Minors can use this service under the sole responsibility of their parents or legal guardians.
1. SBM hereby informs Users that any data found on the Internet may be protected by intellectual property, literary and artistic rights, or may be illegal. Users shall not transfer or download prohibited, illicit or illegal data that is contrary to public order and morality, or which violate or potentially violate third party rights and intellectual property rights in particular.
2. It is expressly noted that the Internet is not a secure network. It is up to Users to take appropriate precautions to protect data and/or software, especially from viruses that spread through the Internet, or from hacking of their Terminal by a third party for whatever reason. Users are advised to back up data before and after using the Service.
3. Users fully acknowledge that the Internet network is not always reliable, especially regarding the lack of security surrounding data transmission and the absence of guarantee with respect to performance in terms of volume and speed of data transmission.
Users acknowledge that there is no way to guarantee data content, authenticity or privacy for any information, files or data that they wish to share on the Internet.
Users must not use the Internet to transfer messages for which they wish to guarantee absolute confidentiality.
4. Users are prohibited from fraudulent, abusive, or excessive use of the Service, such as voluntary or involuntary overloading of SBM's mail server, network, or the inboxes of recipients with direct email marketing (spamming, bulk emails, junk email, email bombs) or sending messages that may result in a substantial number of responses (teasing, trolling) leading to possible disturbances in the server or network. Users will be held fully liable for using the Service in any manner described above.
SBM cannot be held liable for any consequences that may arise from such uses of the Service by one or more Users.
5. Regarding products and services on the Internet, Users shall contact content providers directly with any complaints related to the execution of services or sale of products.
6. Moreover, SBM hereby alerts Users to the fact that the Internet includes content that may be inappropriate for minors.
Users agree to follow the rules and regulations in force for content protected by intellectual property rights.
Users are hereby informed that the violation of copyrights and any related rights is a criminal offence punishable by law. Moreover, Users may risk civil sanctions as compensation for damage to beneficiaries.
1. SBM cannot be held liable for any content on the Internet or damage that may result from its use, unless the damage was caused intentionally by SBM.
However, SBM promises to do everything possible to ensure access to the Internet.
Because communication should be private, SBM as the Service Provider will not monitor the content or characteristics of the data received or transmitted by Users on its network and/or the Internet. However, in order to ensure proper management of the Internet network, SBM reserves the right to delete messages or suspend User activity that may disrupt proper functioning of the network or in the event that the User does not follow the rules of use or code of ethics.
Exceptions can be made to the rule of privacy to the extent permitted by law, on request by public and/or legal authorities.
2. SBM is not responsible for any exploitation of data or information that Users may have published on or taken from the Internet.
3. SBM cannot be held liable in the following circumstances:
In such situations, SBM will not become involved in disputes that may occur between Users and third parties.
Users will be held solely liable for any direct, indirect, material and consequential damage to SBM and/or third parties as a result of using the SBM Service.
Communications carried out via the Service are protected by the same level of security as with a standard Internet connection. Complete protection against intrusions or eavesdropping cannot be guaranteed. SBM declines all liability concerning such events.
If Users wish to increase the security level on their Terminal, they may install security software, such as firewalls or Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). SBM does not guarantee the functioning of third-party security software.
As a general rule, access to the company's data (Intranet, Pack Office, etc.) requires the installation of an appropriate security software on the Terminal and the concerned company server. Given that this software is supplied by a third party, SBM declines all responsibility concerning its proper functioning.
A cookie is a file installed on the Users' Terminals that stores their navigation information on the SBM website (language settings, connection time, pages visited, etc.) SBM may consult this data during the Users' future visits to facilitate navigation. Users are hereby informed that because they share their Terminal with other people, all personal information regarding stored in the cookies may be modified.
SBM may use the cookies to learn about the products, services, and pages consulted by the Users.
If Users do not wish to store cookies, they may make the necessary changes on their computer. Users are hereby informed that cookies are stored differently in different web browsers.
For disputes relating to these terms and conditions, if the two Parties cannot reach an amicable agreement, jurisdiction will be expressly attributed to the Monaco courts.
1. By accepting these General Terms and Conditions of Use, Users agree to the storage and use of their personal data provided at the time of subscription to the Service.
2. In accordance with current laws and regulations, SBM is required to collect and store data from electronic communications. To this end, SBM may communicate this data for the purposes of research, observation and detection of criminal offences; terrorism prevention; billing and payment for the Service; and IT network security.
3. In accordance with legislation on the protection of personal information and data, Users may ask SBM to provide, modify, or delete their personal data.
This right to modify or delete information can be exercised by writing to SBM by post to
Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer, Direction Marketing, Place du Casino, B.P. 139, 98000 Monaco, or by email to .


text:
Is Emily The Strange A Rip Off?
http://laughingsquid.com/was-emily-the-strange-based-on-rosamond-from-nate-the-great/ Via Laughing Squid
Newest 5 Comments
If you know anything about Emily you would know that A) a lot of Emily artwork is an homage to other characters and B) Hot Topic only sells her merchandise, they have nothing to do with making it.
So much for counterculture.
The other Emily stuff isn't the same as this but it's undeniable that these two are pretty much the same artwork. They're so similar there wouldn't even be enough differences for a spot the difference panel.
I suppose it's not surprising, if the original Emily image was practically a one-off for a skateboard.
i agree with number 34 (Seriously?)


text:
Shawn Wayland is a new edition to the KHS-Maxxis-JLVelo Cycling Team. He hails from Simi Valley, CA and caught the eye of our team early in 2014 with his tenacious podium finishes as a solo racer and explosive sprint. He is now two months into the 2015 season with the team, so we decided to check in with Shawn to learn how the season is going.
KHS: This is your first season with the team, what do you think so far?
SW: It's been a heck of a journey so far, and it is just February! I'm stoked to be on the team, and very thankful for all of the guys on the team for being so welcoming and friendly. This was a big transition year for me to be traveling around and racing some road races that are challenging me in new ways, and just races in general that I haven't done in the past. But it's been great to have a team that is so supportive and understanding in guiding me through the motions. And everyone on the team gets along and has a good time hanging out off the bike as well as on. It's just been a real positive experience and I'm happy to be here.
KHS: I heard you like to eat bananas, what's up with that?
SW: I should have known a banana question was coming. Bananas are an easy fuel source for riding, and they're cheap. They go with almost any food, are filling, and taste good. So I eat a lot of them.
KHS: How did you get into cycling and racing?
SW: I got into racing in high school riding my dad's mountain bike. I did a few of the High School MTB races with the Royal High Mountain Bike Team. In the summer, after being fed up with the amount of rattlesnakes on the trails around my house though, I started riding the mountain bike on the road. Next thing I knew, I liked it because I could ride way faster on the pavement than the dirt. In September of 2011 I sold my dirt bike and put that money towards a road bike. Botta-boom botta-bing, I bought a USAC license and started racing road as a Cat 5.
KHS: Off of the top of your head, what 3 things stand out the most about racing for and with a team?
SW: The top 3 things that stand out as racing as a team are: 1) Sacrifice. Everyone is willing to lay it on the line for each other. 2) Tactics. When you have a handful of guys all working together, who are super strong and race changers, it's impressive what can be accomplished. 3) Growth. I learn a lot by being around guys who are faster than me and have ridden longer than I have.
KHS: What race are you most excited about in 2015?
SW: I'll be doing so many new races, I can't really say which one I'm most excited about. I think Redlands will be fun, Dana Point, and Tulsa Tough.
KHS: Has your training changed for the 2015 season? If so, how?
SW: My training has changed a lot. I've pretty much coached myself up until this point, and once I joined KHS-Maxxis-JLVelo, Paul has been overseeing my training. I think the main thing Paul has taught me is it's okay to go hard. It's okay to keep pushing. I've been doing a lot more intervals and intensity, a lot earlier in the year than usual.
KHS: The team has some pretty interesting characters – if they could be action figures/super heroes, who would they be?
SW:Brian McCulloch: Captain America because he is super patriotic.
Shawn Daurelio: The Hulk because he looks like he could smash people!
Fabrizio Von Nacher and Sergio Escutia: Batman and Robin, because they are the Dynamic Mexican Duo! Although Fabi would be a good Nacho Libre…
David Santos: Flash, because he is fast and a Ginger, and Flash wears a red suit.
Chris Barton: Yosemite Sam, because of the mustache of course!
Chris Johnson: Astro Boy!
Editors Note: The team decided that Shawn would be Tarzan, because of the bananas.
Thank you to our sponsors: KHS Bicycles, Maxxis Tires, JLVelo, Serfas, Shimano, Velo Saddles, Praxis Works, Xpedo Pedals, Kali Protectives, NDXSports, Bike Religion, Bicycle Blue Book, WD-40 BIKE, Chamois Butt'r, Cycling Illustrated, Rennie & Associates, Kramp Krushers, Ultra Cycle, and Q2
The post Rider Interview: Shawn Wayland appeared first on KHS MAXXIS JL VELO Cycling Race Team 2015.


text:
It is important not to open PowerPoint until you have planned the flow and logic of your presentation.
Microsoft PowerPoint is the leading software for creating presentations throughout the world. Millions upon millions of PowerPoint presentations are given every year. Here are a few guidelines to help your presentation stand out from the rest:
- Force yourself to use a font size of 30 or greater: This will make your presentation more accessible, will keep your audience interested and most importantly will improve clarity.
- Use a simple and consistent colour scheme: By choosing two or three colours and using them consistently throughout your presentation, you can create a visual theme.
- Use high quality images: avoid Microsoft's ClipArt at all costs. It will only help you make your point in a generic way. Instead use stock photographs from websites like http://sxc.hu/ (free) or www.istockphoto.com (commercial).
- Use custom themes: avoid the standard PowerPoint themes, your audience will have seen them before. Instead download a free template from a website like this (free), buy one from a website like http://www.presentationload.com (commercial) or create one through the use of consistent colours described above. .
Some things to avoid:
- Avoid PowerPoint Karaoke: Do not read out your slides, particularly if they have a lot of text. Your audience can read quicker than you can speak.
- Dodge the Bullets: Avoid too many bullets as well – it makes the information dull for the audience.
- Avoid Animations: Avoid PowerPoint animations which do not add to the goal of your presentation.
Finally, remember your presentation should simply be a support. The main focus should be on you, not your PowerPoint presentation. In an ideal world, you should be able to deliver an equally interesting presentation should the projector or computer break down - a not unlikely possibility.
Tips on creating PowerPoint slides by Garr Reynolds
The Rules of PowerPoint by Guy Kawaski
Alternatives to PowerPoint
There are many alternatives to using PowerPoint including:
- Not using any visuals and just presenting yourself
- Google Docs includes a free Presentation creator.
- Open Office is a complete and free alternative to Microsoft Office. It includes presentation software which is compatible with PowerPoint.
- Opera Show is a free browser-based alternative to PowerPoint
For mroe information on accessible alternatives to PowerPoint visit http://www.webaim.org/techniques/powerpoint/alternatives.php#opshow
Slidefinder is a search engine for PowerPoint presentations which can help provide inspiration for your presentations: http://www.slidefinder.net/