UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

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Gentherm Incorporated

INVITATION TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS

April 27, 2015

To our Shareholders:

We cordially invite you to attend our 2015 annual meeting of shareholders, which will be held on Thursday, May 28, 2015, at 9:30 a.m., Eastern Time, at our offices located at 21680 Haggerty Road,

Suite 101, Northville, Michigan.  The business to be conducted at the annual meeting is set forth in the attached Notice of 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and Proxy Statement.

Northville, Michigan 48167Thank you for your continued support of Gentherm.

Sincerely,

Daniel R. Coker

President and Chief Executive Officer

 


 

GENTHERM INCORPORATED

NOTICE OF 2015 ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

Dear Shareholder:

OnOur 2015 annual meeting of shareholders will be held on Thursday, May 16, 2013, Gentherm Incorporated (the “Company,” “Gentherm,” “we” or “us”)28, 2015, at 9:30 a.m., will hold its 2013 Annual MeetingEastern Time, at the Company’sour offices located at 21680 Haggerty Road, Suite 101, Northville, Michigan 48167. The meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. (local time).to conduct the following items of business:

·

To elect nine directors named in the accompanying Proxy Statement, each to serve for a one-year term or until his or her successor has been duly elected and qualified.

·

To ratify the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2015.

·

To approve (on an advisory basis) the compensation of our named executive officers.

·

To approve an amendment to our Restated Articles of Incorporation to eliminate cumulative voting in director elections, commencing with the 2016 annual meeting of shareholders.

·

To transact any other business that may properly come before the meeting or any postponement or adjournment of the meeting.

Only holders of the Company’sour common stock at the close of business on April 13, 2015, the record date, April 8, 2013, are eligibleentitled to receive this notice and to attend and vote at the annual meeting.

Your vote is important. Whether or not you plan to attend the meeting, we urge you to vote promptly and save us the expense of additional solicitation. If you attend the annual meeting, you may revoke your proxy in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Proxy Statement and vote in person.

By Order of the Board of Directors

Kenneth J. Phillips

Vice-President, General Counsel and Secretary

Northville, Michigan

April 27, 2015


PROXY SUMMARY

This proxy summary highlights information contained elsewhere in this proxy statement.  This summary does not contain all of the information that you should consider and therefore you should read the entire proxy statement before voting.  For more complete information regarding the Company’s 2014 performance, review our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014.

Please Vote Today

Your vote is important. Whether or not you plan to attend the annual meeting, we urge you to vote promptly to save us the expense of additional solicitation. Please carefully review the proxy materials for the 2015 annual meeting and follow the instructions below to cast your vote on all of the proposals.

Proposals, Board Recommendations and Required Vote

Proposal

Board

Recommendation

Required Vote

No. 1 - Election of Directors (page 5)

FOR each nominee

Plurality*

No. 2 - Ratification of Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for 2015 (page 39)

FOR

Majority of votes cast

No. 3 - Advisory Vote on Named Executive Officer Compensation (page 40)

FOR

Majority of votes cast

No. 4 - Approval of an Amendment to the Restated Articles of Incorporation to Eliminate Cumulative Voting in Director Elections (page 41)

FOR

Majority of shares of common stock outstanding and entitled to vote

*

Notwithstanding that directors will be elected by a plurality of votes cast at the annual meeting, in the event any director nominee receives a greater number of votes “withheld” than votes “for” his or her election, our majority voting policy requires such nominee to promptly tender his or her resignation, conditioned on Board acceptance.  The majority voting policy will not apply, however, if cumulative voting rights are exercised with respect to director elections at the annual meeting.  See “Board Matters – Corporate Governance – Corporate Governance Guidelines” in this proxy statement for further information regarding our majority voting policy.

Voting Methods in Advance of Annual Meeting

Even if you plan to attend the 2015 annual meeting in person, please vote right away using one of the following voting methods (see page 2 for additional details). Make sure to have your proxy card or any adjournmentsvoting instruction card in hand and follow the instructions.

·

By Mail. Complete, sign and return your proxy card or voting instruction card in the enclosed envelope.

·

Other. If you are a beneficial owner, you may have the option to vote your shares via the internet or telephone.

Attend and Vote at Annual Meeting

Date:

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Time:

9:30 a.m., Eastern Time

Location:

Gentherm Incorporated, 21680 Haggerty Road, Suite 101, Northville, Michigan

Shareholders of record and beneficial owners (if in possession of a proxy from your broker, bank or postponements thatother nominee) as of April 13, 2015 may take place.attend and vote at the annual meeting.


Director Nominees

The Board currently consists of nine directors.  All directors are elected annually and serve one-year terms.  The Board has re-nominated all of the current directors.   The following table provides summary information about such director nominees.

Name

 

Age

 

 

Director

Since

 

 

Independent

 

Committee

Memberships

 

Primary Occupation

 

Other Public

Company Boards

Lewis Booth

 

 

66

 

 

 

2013

 

 

Yes

 

Audit (Chair),

Nominating,

Corporate

Governance (Chair)

 

Former Executive Vice-President

and CFO of Ford Motor Company

 

Rolls-Royce

Holdings, Mondelez

International

Francois J. Castaing

 

 

69

 

 

 

2001

 

 

Yes

 

Audit, Nominating

(Chair), Corporate

Governance,

Technology

 

Former Technical Advisor to the

Chairman of Chrysler Corporation;

Former President of Chrysler

International; Former Vice-

President of Vehicle Engineering of

Chrysler Corporation

 

TRW Automotive

Holdings Corp.

Daniel R. Coker

 

 

62

 

 

 

2007

 

 

No

 

 

President and Chief Executive

Officer of the Company

 

Sophie Desormière

 

 

48

 

 

 

2012

 

 

Yes

 

Compensation,

Nominating

 

General Manager Marketing and

Sales, Senior Executive Vice-

President of Solvay

 

Maurice E.P. Gunderson

 

 

63

 

 

 

2007

 

 

Yes

 

Compensation

(Chair),

Nominating,

Technology

 

Managing Member of Shingebiss,

LLC; Founder and Former

Managing Director of Nth Power

LLC

 

Oscar B. Marx, III

 

 

76

 

 

 

1999

 

 

No

 

 

Chairman of the Board;

Former President and CEO of

TMW Enterprises, Inc.; Former

Vice-President of the Automotive

Components Group of Ford Motor

Company

 

Carlos E. Mazzorin

 

 

73

 

 

 

2011

 

 

Yes

 

Compensation,

Nominating

 

Former President and COO of

Magna Electronics, Inc.; Former

Group VP of South America, Asia

Pacific and Global Purchasing,

Ford Motor Company

 

Bombardier

Recreational Products

Franz Scherer

 

 

74

 

 

 

2013

 

 

Yes

 

Audit, Nominating,

Corporate

Governance

 

Former Chairman of the

Supervisory Board of W.E.T.

Automotive Systems AG; Former

CEO of FTE Automotive Group

and SIRONA Group

 

Byron T. Shaw II

 

 

46

 

 

 

2013

 

 

Yes

 

Nominating,

Technology (Chair)

 

President of Byron Shaw LLC;

Former Managing Director of the

Silicon Valley Office for General

Motors

 


Executive Compensation Highlights

See “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” beginning on page 16 for information regarding our compensation philosophy, objectives and design, our compensation-setting process and our executive compensation program components, as well as the decisions made for 2014 with respect to each of our named executive officers.

Say-on-Pay Proposal

The Company’s say-on-pay proposal presented at the 2014 annual meeting of shareholders, whereby shareholders were asked to provide advisory approval of the Company’s compensation for its named executive officers in 2013, was approved by approximately 94% of the votes cast.  At the Annual Meeting,2015 annual meeting, shareholders are being asked to provide advisory approval of the Company’s compensation program for its named executive officers in 2014.

Governance Highlights

The Company is committed to good corporate governance appropriate to the Company and its shareholders.  Highlights include:

·

Annual director elections, with majority voting policy

·

Lead Independent Director, seven independent directors out of nine directors, and fully independent Board committees

·

Stock ownership guidelines and ownership among Chief Executive Officer and directors

·

Hedging and pledging policies

·

Robust governance policies

Ratification of Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for 2015

At the 2015 annual meeting, shareholders will beare being asked to consider and act on the following matters:

1.         The election of directors to the Board of Directors;

2.         The ratification ofratify the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP to act as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the year endedending December 31, 2013;2015.

3.         The approval,following table sets forth the fees the Company was billed for audit and other services provided by Grant Thornton in 2014 and 2013.  All of such services were approved in conformity with the pre-approval policies and procedures described under “Audit Committee Matters—Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures” on an advisory basis,page 37.  The Audit Committee, based on its reviews and discussions with management and Grant Thornton, determined that the provision of the Company’s executive compensation;these services was compatible with maintaining Grant Thornton’s independence.

4.         

 

 

2014

($)

 

 

2013

($)

 

Audit Fees

 

 

1,502,000

 

 

 

1,496,000

 

Audit-Related Fees

 

 

88,000

 

 

 

10,000

 

Tax Fees

 

 

5,000

 

 

 

 

All Other Fees

 

 

16,000

 

 

 

15,000

 

Total Fees

 

 

1,611,000

 

 

 

1,521,000

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

About the Annual Meeting

1

Proposal No. 1—Election of Directors

5

Board of Directors

5

Specific Qualifications, Attributes, Skills and Experience to be Represented on the Board

5

Director Background and Qualifications

6

Director Independence

8

Board Matters

9

The Board of Directors

9

Committees of the Board

10

Corporate Governance

12

Director Compensation

13

Shareholder Communication with the Board

15

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

16

Compensation Committee Report

24

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

24

Named Executive Officer Compensation Tables

25

Summary Compensation Table for 2014

25

Grants of Plan-Based Awards in 2014

27

Outstanding Equity Awards at December  31, 2014

28

Option Exercises and Stock Vested in 2014

29

Pension Benefits in 2014

30

Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control

31

Related Person Transactions

33

Policies and Procedures

33

2014 Related Person Transactions

33

Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management

34

Audit Committee Report

35

Audit Committee Matters

36

Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures

36

Grant Thornton Fees

36

Proposal No. 2—Ratification of Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for 2015

37

Proposal No. 3—Advisory Vote on Named Executive Officer Compensation

38

Proposal No. 4—Approval of an Amendment to the Restated Articles of Incorporation to Eliminate Cumulative Voting in Director Elections

39

Additional Information

41

Equity Compensation Plans

41

Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

41

Solicitation by Board; Expenses

41

Requirements for Submission of Shareholder Proposals and Nominations for 2016 Annual Meeting

41

Householding

42

Availability of 2014 Annual Report to Shareholders

42

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Shareholder Meeting to be Held on    May 28, 2015

42

Appendix A – Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation

A-1


PROXY STATEMENT

ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

MAY 28, 2015

ABOUT THE ANNUAL MEETING

Who is soliciting my vote?

The approvalBoard of the proposedDirectors (the “Board”) of Gentherm Incorporated 2013 Equity Incentive Plan, covering 3,500,000 shares of our common stock; provided that, if such plan(the “Company”) is approved, the sharessoliciting your proxy, as a holder of our common stock, that remain available for issuance under the Gentherm Incorporated 2006 Equity Incentive Plan and the Gentherm Incorporated 2011 Equity Incentive Plan, totaling 2,315,578 shares in the aggregate, will be automatically reduced to zero; and

5.         Such other business as may properly be presenteduse at the 2015 annual meeting orof shareholders and any adjournment or postponement thereof.of such meeting (the “annual meeting”). The annual meeting will be held on Thursday, May 28, 2015, at 9:30 a.m., Eastern Time, at our offices located at 21680 Haggerty Road, Suite 101, Northville, Michigan.

AllThe notice of annual meeting, proxy statement and form of proxy was first mailed to shareholders are cordially invited to attend the meeting. Whether or not you expect to attend the meeting, please complete, date and sign the enclosed proxy and return it in the prepaid envelope as promptly as possible to ensure your representation at the meeting.

A copyof record of our 2012 Annual Report, which includes audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2012, is being mailed with this Proxy Statement. We expect that this Proxy Statement and accompanying proxy will be first sent or given to shareholderscommon stock on or about April 22, 2013.27, 2015.

What is the purpose of the annual meeting?

At the annual meeting, you will be voting on:

·

The election of nine directors named in this proxy statement, each to serve for a one-year term or until his or her successor has been duly elected and qualified.

By order·

The ratification of the Boardappointment of Directors,Grant Thornton LLP (“Grant Thornton”) as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2015.

Kenneth J. Phillips·

The approval (on an advisory basis) of the compensation of our named executive officers.

Secretary·

The approval of an amendment to our Restated Articles of Incorporation (the “Articles”) to eliminate cumulative voting in director elections, commencing with the 2016 annual meeting of shareholders.

April 22, 2013


TABLE OF CONTENTS

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

1

MATTERS TO BE VOTED ON

5

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

16

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

20

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE INFORMATION

22

COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT

28

AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT

29

SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

30

SECURITIES AUTHORIZED FOR ISSUANCE UNDER EQUITY COMPENSATION PLANS

32

SECTION 16(A) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE

32

DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

33

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

34

OTHER MATTERS

43

APPENDIX A

A-1


QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q:What am I voting on?

A:You are being asked by the Board of Directors to vote on four items:

Proposal 1:The election of directors to the Board of Directors. The election is described on page 5 and information about the nominees can be found beginning on page 16.recommends a vote FOR

Proposal 2:The ratification each of the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP to act as the Company’s registered independent accountants for the year ended December 31, 2013. The ratification is described beginning on page 6.

Proposal 3:A proposal to approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of our named executive officers. This proposal is described beginning on page 7.

Proposal 4:A proposal to approve Gentherm Incorporated 2013 Equity Incentive Plan. This proposal is summarized beginning on page 8.

Q:How does the Board of Directors recommend I vote?

A:The Board of Directors recommends a vote

(i)FOR each of itsdirector nominees to serve on the Board of Directors;listed in this proxy statement, FOR

(ii)FOR the ratification of theGrant Thornton’s appointment, of Grant Thornton LLP as our registered independent accountants for the year ended December 31, 2013;FOR

(iii)FOR the approval on an advisory basis, of the compensation of our named executive officers;officers, andFOR

(iv)FOR the approval of an amendment to our Articles to eliminate cumulative voting in director elections. We are not aware of any other matters that will be brought before the shareholders for a vote at the annual meeting. If any other matter is properly brought before the meeting, your signed proxy card gives authority to your proxies to vote on such matter in their best judgment; proxy holders named in the proxy card will vote as the Board recommends or, if the Board gives no recommendation, in their own discretion.

During or immediately following the annual meeting, management will report on our performance and will respond to appropriate questions from shareholders. Representatives of Grant Thornton will be present at the annual meeting, will make a statement, if they desire to do so, and will answer appropriate questions from our shareholders.

Who is entitled to vote?

You may vote if you owned shares of our common stock at the close of business on April 13, 2015, the record date, provided such shares are held directly in your name as the shareholder of record or are held for you as the beneficial owner through a broker, bank or other nominee. As of April 13, 2015, we had 35,895,322 shares of common stock outstanding and entitled to vote.  Each share of common stock is entitled to one vote on each matter properly brought before the annual meeting; however, see “Can I cumulate my votes for directors at the annual meeting?” below.


What is the difference between holding shares as a shareholder of record and a beneficial owner?

Shareholders of Record. If your common shares are registered directly in your name with our transfer agent, Computershare, you are considered the shareholder of record with respect to those shares, and these proxy materials are being sent directly to you by us. As the shareholder of record, you have the right to grant your voting proxy directly to us through the enclosed proxy card or to vote in person at the annual meeting.

Beneficial Owners. Many of our shareholders hold their common shares through a broker, bank or other nominee rather than directly in their own names. If your shares are held in a stock brokerage account or by a bank or other nominee, you are considered the beneficial owner with respect to those shares, and these proxy materials (including a voting instruction card) are being forwarded to you by your broker, bank or nominee who is considered the shareholder of record with respect to those shares. As the beneficial owner, you have the right to direct your broker, bank or nominee on how to vote and are also invited to attend the annual meeting. However, since you are not the shareholder of record, you may not vote these shares in person at the annual meeting unless you request and obtain a proxy from your broker, bank or nominee. Your broker, bank or nominee has enclosed a voting instruction card for you to use in directing the broker, bank or nominee on how to vote your shares.

May I vote my shares in person at the annual meeting?

Even if you plan to be present at the annual meeting, we encourage you to vote your shares prior to the meeting.

Shareholders of Record. If you are a shareholder of record and attend the annual meeting, you may deliver your completed proxy card or vote by ballot.

Beneficial Owners. If you hold your common shares through a bank, broker or other nominee and want to vote such shares in person at the annual meeting, you must obtain a proxy from your broker, bank or other nominee giving you the power to vote such shares.

Can I vote my shares without attending the annual meeting?

You may vote by completing, signing and returning the enclosed proxy card or voting instruction card. If you are a shareholder of record and the postage-paid envelope is missing, please mail your completed proxy card to Gentherm Incorporated, 2013 Equity Incentive Plan.c/o Corporate Secretary, 21680 Haggerty Road, Suite 101, Northville, MI 48167.  You may have the option to vote your shares via the internet or telephone.

Can I change my vote?

Q:Who is entitled to vote?

A:Only holders of the Company’s common stock at the close of business on the record date, April 8, 2013, are eligible to vote at the Annual Meeting.

Q:How do I vote?

A:Complete, sign and date each proxy card you receive and return it in the prepaid envelope so that we receive it before the meeting, or, if you are the registered owner of the shares on the record date, April 8, 2013, attend the meeting and vote in person. If you hold your shares through a broker, bank or other nominee and want to vote such shares in person at the Annual Meeting, you must obtain a proxy from your broker, bank or other nominee giving you the power to vote such shares and bring such proxy to the Annual Meeting.

Q:If I return a proxy card, can I revoke my proxy?

A:You have the right to revoke your proxy at any time before the meeting by notifying the Company of your revocation or by returning a later-dated proxy card to the Company. If you wish to revoke your proxy, notification or a later-dated proxy card must be sent to Kenneth J. Phillips, Secretary of Gentherm Incorporated, 21680 Haggerty Road, Suite 101, Northville, Michigan 48167, and received by Mr. Phillips no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on May 15, 2013.

Shareholders of Record. You may change your vote at any time before the proxy is exercised by voting in person at the annual meeting or by filing with our corporate secretary either a notice revoking the proxy or a properly signed proxy.  In each case, such notice or proxy must bear a later date than your prior proxy.  If sent by mail, it must be received by our corporate secretary no later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on May 27, 2015. Your attendance at the annual meeting in person will not havecause your prior proxy to be revoked unless you file the effect of revoking anyproper documentation for it to be so revoked.

Beneficial Owners. If you hold your shares through a bank, broker or other nominee, you should contact such person prior to the time such voting instructions are exercised.

What does it mean if I receive more than one proxy card or voting instruction card?

If you receive more than one proxy card or voting instruction card, it means that you have given unlessmultiple accounts with banks, brokers, other nominees and/or our transfer agent. Please sign and deliver, or otherwise vote, each proxy card and voting instruction card that you give written noticereceive. We recommend that you contact your nominee and/or our transfer agent, as appropriate, to consolidate as many accounts as possible under the same name and address. Our transfer agent is Computershare, P.O. Box 30170, College Station, TX 77842-3170; Telephone: (800) 962-4284.

What if I do not vote for some of revocationthe items listed on my proxy card or voting instruction card?

Shareholders of Record. If you indicate a choice with respect to Mr. Phillips beforeany matter to be acted upon on your proxy card, the shares will be voted in accordance with your instructions. Proxy cards that are signed and returned, but do not contain voting instructions with respect to certain matters, will be voted in accordance with the recommendations of the Board on such matters or if the Board gives no recommendation, then in the discretion of the proxy is voted.holders.


Q:How do I make sure my vote is counted?

A:Whether or not you plan to attend the meeting, complete, date and sign each proxy card you receive and return it as promptly as possible so it is received before the meeting. In the absence of instructions, shares represented by valid proxies will be voted as recommended by the Board of Directors or, if the Board of Directors gives no recommendation, then in the discretion of the proxy holders.

Q:What does it mean if I get more than one proxy card?

A:If your shares are registered differently or are in more than one account, you may receive more than one proxy card. Sign and return all proxy cards to ensure that all your shares are voted. Whenever possible, we encourage you to have all accounts registered in the same name and address. You can accomplish this by contacting our transfer agent, Computershare Limited, in writing at P.O. Box 43021, Providence, Rhode Island 02940 or (800) 962-4284.

Q:Can two or more shareholders sharing an address receive only one copy of proxy materials and Company’s annual report in the future?

A.If you and another shareholder share an address, you can request that only one copy of all future deliveries of proxy materials and the Company’s annual report be delivered to such address by contacting Computershare Limited at P.O. Box 43021, Providence, Rhode Island 02940 or (800) 962-4284. Alternatively, if you and another shareholder sharing an address are receiving only one copy of proxy materials or the Company’s annual report but you wish to each receive separate copies of such items, contact Computershare Limited at the address or telephone number above. Upon request, the Company will promptly send you a separate copy of such materials.

Q:What vote is required for each of the four proposals?

A:As of the record date, April 8, 2013, 33,425,765 shares of the Company’s common stock were issued and outstanding. Each common stockholder is entitled to one vote for each share held. A quorum must be established before the voting may proceed. For a description of a “quorum,” please see “What is a quorum?” below.

Beneficial Owners.Proposal 1:With If you indicate a choice with respect to any matter to be acted upon on your voting instruction card, the electionshares will be voted in accordance with your instructions. If you do not indicate a choice or return the voting instruction card, the bank, broker or other nominee will determine if it has the discretionary authority to vote on each applicable matter. Under applicable law, a bank, broker or nominee has the discretion to vote on routine matters, including the ratification of directors, the appointment of an independent registered public accounting firm. For all other matters at the 2015 annual meeting, brokers and certain banks and nominees will be unable to vote on your behalf if you do not instruct them how to vote your shares in the manner set forth on your voting instruction card. Therefore, it is very important for you to vote your shares for each proposal.

How many shares must be present to hold the annual meeting?

In order for us to conduct the annual meeting, a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote at the annual meeting as of April 13, 2015 must be present in person or by proxy at the meeting. This is known as a quorum. Abstentions, withheld votes and broker non-votes will be considered present for purposes of determining a quorum.

What vote is required to approve each item of business?

Proposal No. 1—Election of Directors. The nine nominees who receivereceiving the mosthighest number of “for” votes at the annual meeting will be elected directors. This number is called a plurality. Withheld votes and broker non-votes will have no effect on the outcome of the vote.

Notwithstanding that directors will be elected by a plurality of votes cast at the annual meeting, in the event any director nominee receives a greater number of votes “withheld” than votes “for” his or her election, the Company’s majority voting policy requires such nominee to promptly tender his or her resignation, conditioned on Board acceptance.  The majority voting policy will not apply, however, if cumulative voting rights are exercised with respect to director elections at the annual meeting.  See “Board Matters – Corporate Governance – Corporate Governance Guidelines” for further information regarding our majority voting policy.

Proposal 2:No. 2—Ratification of Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for 2015.The affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the votes cast at the Annual Meetingannual meeting with respect to this proposal will be necessary to ratifyis required for ratification of the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP to act as our independent registered independent accountantspublic accounting firm for the year endedending December 31, 2013.2015. Abstentions will have the same effect as votes against the matter.

Proposal No. 3—Advisory Vote on Named Executive Officer Compensation. The affirmative vote of holders of a votemajority of votes cast at the annual meeting with respect to this proposal is required for the approval of the compensation of our named executive officers. Abstentions will have the same effect as votes against the matter. Broker non-votes will have no effect on the outcome of the vote.

Proposal 3:No. 4 – Approval of an Amendment to the Restated Articles of Incorporation to Eliminate Cumulative Voting in Director Elections.The affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the votes cast at the Annual Meeting with respect to this proposal will be necessary to approve, on an advisory basis, the compensationshares of our named executive officers.common stock outstanding and entitled to vote is required for approval of an amendment to our Articles to eliminate cumulative voting in director elections, commencing with the 2016 annual meeting of shareholders.  Abstentions and broker non-votes will have the same effect as a votevotes against the matter. Broker non-votes will have no effect on the outcome of the vote.

Proposal 4:The affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast at the Annual Meeting with respect to this proposal will be necessary to approve the Gentherm Incorporated 2013 Equity Incentive Plan. Abstentions will have the same effect as a vote against the matter. Broker non-votes will have no effect on the outcome of the vote.

Other Matters:Matters. If any other matter is properly submitted to the shareholders at the Annual Meeting,annual meeting, its adoption generally will generally require the affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the votes cast at the Annual Meeting.annual meeting. The Board of Directors does not propose to conduct any business at the Annual Meetingannual meeting other than as stated above.

Although the advisory votevotes in ProposalsProposal No. 2 and No. 3 are not binding on the Company, the Board of Directorsand/or respective committee will take your vote into consideration in determining future activities.

Can I cumulate my votes for directors at the annual meeting?

Q:What is a “quorum”?

A:A “quorum” is a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote. In order to transact business at the Annual Meeting, a quorum must be present. For determining whether a quorum is present, shares represented at the Annual Meeting in person or by proxy are treated as present. Abstentions, withheld votes and broker non-votes will be counted in determining the number of shares present or represented by proxy in determining whether a quorum is present.

Q:Can I cumulate my votes for directors?

A:

In accordance with the Company’s Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, you may cumulate votes (i.e., cast for any one or more candidates a number of votes greater than the number of your shares) for directors if you give timely notice to the Company, meaning not later than the close of business on the 30th day nor earlier than the 60th day prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting. Furthermore, you may only cumulate votes if the nominee’s or nominees’ names you wish to vote for were placed in nomination prior to the commencement of voting.

InOur Articles and Amended and Restated Bylaws (“Bylaws”) currently permit cumulative voting at a meeting of shareholders at which directors are to be elected, provided that (A) the eventnominees’ names have been placed in nomination prior to commencement of the voting and (B) a shareholder gives timely and proper notice of his, her or its intentionwho intends to cumulate votes for directors, suchgives timely notice to the Company.  If a shareholder will becomplies with the foregoing, then each shareholder is entitled to cast a number ofas many votes equal toas equals the number of shares held multiplied by nine (the number of directors to be elected). Theelected multiplied by the number of votes to which such shareholder’s shares are entitled.  A shareholder may decide to cast theseall such votes for a single nomineedirector or to distribute such votes among two oras many candidates who have been properly nominated.


Since our 2015 annual meeting will be held more nominees. If any shareholder cumulates votesthan 10 days after the first anniversary of our 2014 annual meeting, to be timely such notice must be delivered not earlier than the 60th day prior to the 2015 annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of (i) the 30th day prior to such meeting and (ii) the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made by us (which announcement includes the names of the director nominees for directors, every other shareholder will also be entitled to cumulate votes for directors.election).

We didAs of the date of this proxy statement, we have not receivereceived timely notice from any shareholder that he, she or it intendsof an intention to cumulate votes at the Annual Meeting.

Q:How will voting on any other business be conducted?

A:Although we do not know of any business to be considered at the Annual Meeting other than those items described in this Proxy Statement, if any other business is presented at the Annual Meeting, a signed proxy card gives authority to Daniel R. Coker, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, and Kenneth J. Phillips, Secretary of the Company, to vote on such matters at their discretion, to the extent permitted by law. Specifically, proxies solicited by this Proxy Statement may be voted by Mr. Coker and Mr. Phillips in favor of any motion to adjourn or postpone the Annual Meeting for a specific time or indefinitely.

Q:When are shareholder proposals for the 2014 Annual Meeting due?

A:All shareholder proposals and nominations to be considered for inclusion in next year’s proxy statement and form of proxy must be submitted in writing to Kenneth J. Phillips, Secretary of Gentherm Incorporated, 21680 Haggerty Road, Suite 101, Northville, Michigan 48167 by December 23, 2013. We must receive notice at the same address by February 15, 2014 of all shareholder proposals and nominations to be presented at the 2014 Annual Meeting but not included in next year’s proxy statement and form of proxy. Any proposal must comply with federal securities laws.

Q:Who is soliciting my proxy?

A:This solicitation is being made by the Board of Directors on behalf of the Company.

Q:Is this Proxy Statement available on the Internet?

A:

This Proxy Statement is available, free of charge, at the Company’s website www.Gentherm.com and at the following website: www.edocumentview.com/THRM; however, the only means by which you are able to

deliver your proxy is by dating and signing your proxy card and returning it as promptly as possible so it is received before the Annual Meeting.

Q:Who bears the cost of this proxy solicitation, and are there any paid solicitors?

A:The Company bears the entire cost of soliciting proxies in the enclosed form. We may supplement our solicitation of proxies by mail with telephone, e-mail or personal solicitation by our officers or other regular employees. In such case, we would expect our Chief Executive Officer and/or Chief Financial Officer to oversee such supplemental solicitation. We will not pay any additional compensation to any of our employees for their supplemental solicitation services. We have also hired Computershare Limited and Broadbridge Financial Solutions to assist in the distribution of proxy materials for total fees of approximately $15,000, plus estimated out-of-pocket expenses of approximately $5,000. We also reimburse brokerage houses and other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries upon request for their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses for forwarding proxy and solicitation materials to shareholders.

MATTERS TO BE VOTED ON

Proposal 1: Election of Directors

There are nine nominees for election to the Board of Directors of the Company:

Lewis Booth

Francois Castaing

Daniel Coker

Sophie Desormière

Maurice Gunderson

Oscar B. Marx III

Carlos Mazzorin

Franz Scherer

Byron Shaw

Information about each nominee can be found beginning on page 16.

Vote Required

With respect to the election of directors the nine nominees who receive the most votes will be elected directors. Withheld votes and broker non-votes will have no effect on the outcome of the vote.

The Board of Directors unanimously recommends a vote FOR each of the nominees.

Proposal 2: Ratification of Appointment of Grant Thornton LLP

Our Audit Committee has appointed Grant Thornton LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2013, and the Board of Directors and the Audit Committee recommend that the shareholders ratify this appointment.

Although there is no requirement that the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP be terminated if the ratification fails, the Audit Committee will consider the appointment of other registered independent accounting firms if the shareholders choose not to ratify the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP. The Audit Committee may terminate the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm without the approval of shareholders whenever the Audit Committee deems such termination appropriate.

Grant Thornton LLP, acting as our independent registered public accounting firm, have reported on our December 31, 2012 financial statements in our 2012 Annual Report, which was filed with the SEC on Form 10-K on March 15, 2013, and have served as our independent registered public accounting firm for six years. A representative of Grant Thornton LLP is expected to be present at the Annual Meeting and will have2015 annual meeting.

At the opportunity to make a statement at the2015 annual meeting, if he or she desires to do so. The representative will also be available to respond to appropriate questions.

It is the Audit Committee’s policy and practice to review and approve in advance all services, audit and non-audit, to be rendered by the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee does not delegate this responsibility or any other committee function to Company management. If a product or service arises that was not already pre-approved, the Audit Committee has delegated to the Chairman of the Audit Committee the authority to consider and pre-approve such services between quarterly meetings of the Audit Committee. In pre-approving all audit services and permitted non-audit services, the Audit Committee or a delegated member must consider whether the provision of the permitted non-audit services is consistent with maintaining the independence of the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm. Any interim approvals granted by the Chairman of the Audit Committee are reported to the entire Audit Committee at its next regularly scheduled meeting. Fees billed by Grant Thornton LLP for 2012 and 2011 (in thousands), all which were approved by the Audit Committee in accordance with its established policies and procedures, were as follows:

   2012   2011 

Audit Fees

  $1,007    $705  

Audit-Related Fees

   120     183  

Tax Fees

   —       35  

All Other Fees

   162     454  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 
  $1,289    $1,377  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

The Company’s independent registered public accounting firm does not generally provide tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning services to the Company. A separate firm has been engaged by the Company to provide such services. In the above table, in accordance with the SEC’s definitions and rules, “Audit Fees” are fees that we paid to Grant Thornton LLP for the audit of our annual financial statements and review of our quarterly financial statements as well as the audit of our internal control over financial reporting with the objective of obtaining reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects; for the attestation of management’s report on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting; and for services that are normally provided by the auditor in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements. “Audit-Related Fees” are fees for assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the performance of the services described in the definition of Audit Fees. During 2011, our independent registered public accounting firm was engaged to provide an analysis of the tax implications of our acquisition of W.E.T. Automotive Systems AG and fees for such services comprise the “Tax

Fees” included in the above table. The Other Fees paid to our independent registered public accounting firm during 2012 relate to an investigation of a potential merger and during 2011 relate to due diligence in connection with the acquisition of W.E.T.

Vote Required

The affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast at the Annual Meeting with respect to this proposal will be necessary to ratify the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP to act as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ended December 31, 2013. Abstentions will have the same effect as a vote against the matter. Broker non-votes will have no effect on the outcome of the vote.

The Board of Directors unanimously recommends a vote FOR ratification of the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2013.

Proposal 3: Advisory Vote on Named Executive Officer Compensation

Our Board of Directors requests that shareholders provide advisory, non-binding, approval of the compensation of our named executive officers, as disclosed in this Proxy Statement in accordance with the SEC’s rules (commonly known as a “say-on-pay” proposal). We recognize the interest our shareholders have in the compensation of our executives and we are providing this advisory proposal in recognition of that interest and as required by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, or the Dodd-Frank Act.

As described in detail under the heading “Executive Compensation – Compensation Discussion and Analysis,” beginning on page 34, our named executive officer compensation program is designed to attract, motivate, and retain our named executive officers, who are critical to our success, and ensure alignment of the interests of such persons with our shareholders. Under this program, our named executive officers are rewarded for their service to the Company, the achievement of specific performance goals and the realization of increased shareholder value. We believe our named executive officer compensation programs also are structured appropriately to support our business objectives, as well as to support our culture. The Compensation Committee regularly reviews the compensation programs for our named executive officers to ensure the fulfillment of our compensation philosophy and goals.

Please read the “Executive Compensation – Compensation Discussion and Analysis,” beginning on page 34, and the named executive officer compensation tables, beginning on page 38, for additional details about our named executive officer compensation program, including information about the target and earned compensation of our named executive officers in 2012.

We are asking our shareholders to indicate their support for our named executive officer compensation as described in this Proxy Statement. This vote is not intended to address any specific item of compensation, but rather the overall compensation of our named executive officers and the philosophy, policies and practices described in this Proxy Statement. Accordingly, we will ask our shareholders to vote “FOR” the following resolution at the Annual Meeting:

“RESOLVED, that the Company’s shareholders approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of the named executive officers, as disclosed in the Company’s Proxy Statement for the 2013 Annual Meeting of Shareholders pursuant to the compensation disclosure rules of the SEC, including the Compensation Discussion and Analysis, the Summary Compensation Table and the other related tables and disclosure.”

The say-on-pay vote is advisory, and therefore not binding on the Company, the Compensation Committee or our Board of Directors. We value the opinions of our shareholders and to the extent there is any significant vote against the named executive officer compensation as disclosed in this Proxy Statement, we will consider our

shareholders’ concerns and the Compensation Committee will evaluate whether any actions are necessary to address those concerns.

Vote Required

The affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast at the Annual Meeting with respect to this proposal will be necessary to approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of our named executive officers. Abstentions will have the same effect as a vote against the matter. Broker non-votes will have no effect on the outcome of the vote.

The Board of Directors unanimously recommends a vote FOR the approval of the compensation of our named executive officers, as disclosed in this Proxy Statement pursuant to the compensation disclosure rules of the SEC.

Proposal 4: Approval of the Gentherm Incorporated 2013 Equity Incentive Plan

The stockholders are being asked to approve an amendment to our Articles which would eliminate cumulative voting in director elections, commencing with the Gentherm Incorporated 2013 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2013 Plan” or2016 annual meeting of shareholders.  See “Proposal No. 4 – Approval of an Amendment to the “Plan”). Restated Articles of Incorporation to Eliminate Cumulative Voting in Director Elections” for further information.

Is a registered list of shareholders available?

The Plan permitsnames of shareholders of record entitled to vote at the grantingannual meeting will be available to such shareholders at the annual meeting for any purpose reasonably relevant to the meeting.

Who will count the votes and where can I find the voting results?

The Inspector of Elections appointed at the 2015 annual meeting will tabulate the voting results. We intend to announce the preliminary voting results at the annual meeting and, in accordance with rules of the following types of “Awards”: (1) stock options, including both nonqualified optionsSecurities and incentive options (“Options”Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), (2) stock appreciation rights (“SARs”), (3) restricted stock and restricted stock units (“RSUs”), (4) performance-based shares (“Performance Shares”), and (5) other awards which are denominated or payablewe intend to publish the final results in valued by reference to, or otherwise baseda current report on our common stock, including rights to make an outright purchase of unrestricted or restricted stock (“Other Stock-Based Awards”). Awards may only be issued to key employees, outside directors, consultants and advisorsForm 8-K within four business days of the Company and its subsidiaries. Awards of restricted stock, RSUs, Performance Shares and Other Stock-Based Awards are referred to herein as “Full Value Awards.” Unlike Options and SARs, a recipient of a Full Value Award receives, in most cases, the entire value of the underlying shares at the time the Award is granted. Awards of Options and SARs, on the other hand, typically provide the recipient with value only upon an increase in the market price of the underlying shares.annual meeting.


PROPOSAL NO. 1—ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

The Board currently consists of Directors believes that it is in the best interest of the Company and its shareholders for the Company to be in a position to offer Awards to key employees, outside directors, consultants and advisors in accordance with the terms of the Plan. Such Awards provide incentive to such key individuals to make significant and extraordinary contributions to our long-term performance and growth. In addition, such awards align the interests of key employees, outside directors, consultants and advisors with the interests of our shareholders and help us attract and retain key individuals with exceptional ability. As of April 1, 2013, there remained 2,315,578 shares of our common stock available for Awards to be granted under the Company’s existing equity incentive plans (2,307,000 shares under the Gentherm Incorporated 2011 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2011 Plan”) and 8,578 shares under the Gentherm Incorporated 2006 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2006 Plan”)). Also as of April 1, 2013, of the 2,315,578 shares of our common stock available for Awards to be granted under the 2011 Plan and the 2006 Plan, 111,160 shares were available for issuance as Full Value Awards (110,744 shares under the 2011 Plan and 416 shares under the 2006 Plan). No shares are available for issuance under any other equity incentive plan of the Company. The Board of Directors has adopted contingent amendments to the 2011 Plan and the 2006 Plan that provide for reductions in the number of shares available for future Awards under the 2011 Plan and the 2006 Plan to zero if the 2013 Plan is approved by the stockholders. In addition, the Board of Directors adopted a resolution that prohibits any Awards under the 2011 Plan or the 2006 Plan until the stockholders vote on the proposal to approve the 2013 Plan. No Awards have been made under the 2011 Plan or the 2006 Plan since April 1, 2013 and, as noted above, if the 2013 Plan is approved, no further Awards will be made under the 2011 Plan or the 2006 Plan.

As a result, if the 2013 Plan is approved, (1) none of the 2,315,578 shares of common stock currently available for issuance under either the 2011 Plan or the 2006 Plan would be available for issuance as future awards and (2) there would be available for issuance under the 2013 Plan a number of shares of common stock

(the “Share Limit”) equal to the sum of (i) 3,500,000 shares, plus (ii) the number of shares of common stock of the Corporation that, as of the effective date of the Plan, are subject to awards granted under the 2006 Plan or the 2011 Plan and that, on or after the effective date of the Plan, expire or are terminated, surrendered or canceled without the delivery of any shares of Stock in the case of options, or are forfeited or reacquired by the Corporation, in accordance with the terms of the relevant plan, in the case of unvested restricted stock awards. Under the terms of the 2013 Plan, Full Value Awards shall count against the Share Limit as 1.58 shares of common stock for each share of common stock covered by such Awards and all Options and SARs shall count against the Share Limit as 1.00 share of common stock for each share of common stock covered by such Awards.

The Board of Directors believes that the adoption of the 2013 Plan is necessary and appropriate.

The full text of the 2013 Plan is set forth on Appendix A to this Proxy Statement. The material features of the Plan are summarized below, but each shareholder should review the Plan itself for a full understanding of its contents.

Administration; Plan Participants

The Plan authorizes a “Committee” (which will be comprised of the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors, unless the Board of Directors determines otherwise) to interpret the Plan, to promulgate, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to the Plan and to make all other determinations necessary or advisable for its administration. Unless otherwise determined by the Board of Directors, the Compensation Committee’s determinations and interpretations under the Plan will be binding on participants. Under the Plan, the Company has agreed to indemnify the Compensation Committee members for reasonable expenses incurred in connection with the defense of any action, suit or proceeding involving any action or failure to act with respect to the Plan (other than matters where the Compensation Committee member is determined to have acted in bad faith).

Participants are chosen by the Compensation Committee from among those individuals who are or who become key employees (including officers and directors), outside directors, consultants and advisors who, in the judgment of the Compensation Committee, are or will become responsible for the Company’s direction and financial success. The Compensation Committee determines those eligible participants or classes of participants to be granted Awards, the type of Award and the amounts, terms and conditions of the Awards.

Amendment or Termination of the Plan

The Plan may be terminated or amended at any time by the Board of Directors. Unless sooner terminated, the Plan will terminate 10 years after its approval by the shareholders, and no Awards may be awarded under the Plan thereafter. The termination of the Plan will not affect the validity of any Award outstanding on the date of termination.

For purposes of conforming to any changes in applicable law or governmental regulations, or for any other lawful purpose, the Board of Directors has the right, with or without approval of the Company’s shareholders, to amend or revise the terms of the Plan at any time; however, no such amendment or revision can (i) with respect to the Plan, increase the maximum number of shares in the aggregate which are subject to the Plan or with respect to which Awards may be made to individual participants (other than anti-dilution adjustments), materially change the class of persons eligible to be participants under the Plan or establish additional and different business criteria on which performance share goals are based without approval or ratification of the Company’s shareholders; or (ii) with respect to an Award previously granted under the Plan, except as otherwise specifically provided in the Plan, alter or impair any such Award without the consent of the holder thereof.

Maximum Awards

Subject to adjustment as described below, the Share Limit (i.e., the number of shares of common stock available for issuance under the 2013 Plan) is equal to the sum of (i) 3,500,000 shares, plus (ii) the number of shares of common stock of the Corporation that, as of the effective date of the Plan are subject to awards granted under the 2006 Plan or the 2011 Plan and that, on or after the effective date of the Plan, expire or are terminated, surrendered or canceled without the delivery of any shares of Stock in the case of options, or are forfeited or reacquired by the Corporation, in accordance with the terms of the relevant plan, in the case of unvested restricted stock awards. Under the terms of the 2013 Plan, Full Value Awards shall count against the Share Limit as 1.58 shares of common stock for each share of common stock covered by such Awards and all Options and SARs shall count against the Share Limit as 1.00 share of common stock for each share of common stock covered by such Awards.. The aggregate fair market value (determined at the time an incentive option is granted) of shares with respect to which incentive options are exercisable for the first time by any individual during any calendar year cannot exceed $100,000. The amount of cash and the value of any property paid to any individual during any calendar year in settlement of a Performance Share cannot exceed $2,000,000.

The Compensation Committee, in its discretion, may adjust the number of shares which may be made the subject of new Awards or are then subject to outstanding Awards, the option price with respect to each outstanding stock option, the grant value with respect to outstanding SARs, the aggregate number of shares available at any time under the Plan to reflect such events as a stock split, stock dividend, or other extraordinary corporate event. The total number of Awards that may be granted under the Plan cannot presently be determined. In addition, nothing in the Plan prevents the Company from adopting or continuing in effect other or additional compensation arrangements.

Awards

Awards granted under the Plan will be evidenced by a written agreement between the Company and each participant, which will be in accordance with the Plan and may contain restrictions and limitations that do not violate the terms of the Plan. Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Compensation Committee may grant a participant one or more of the following Awards and any combination thereof:

Stock Options and SARs

The Compensation Committee in its discretion may grant either incentive options meeting the definition of incentive stock options under Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (“Code”) or nonqualified options not meeting such definition, or any combination of incentive and nonqualified options. The option price for incentive options may not be less than 100% (110% for a participant owning 10% or more of our voting stock) of the fair market value of the common stock on the grant date. The option price for nonqualified options may not be less than 100% of the fair market value of the common stock on the grant date. Incentive options may only be granted to an employee of the Company or any of the subsidiaries in which the Company owns directly or indirectly 50% or more of the combined voting power of all classes of its stock.

SARs may be granted in conjunction with or independent of any stock option granted under the Plan. A SAR granted in conjunction with a stock option may either be an alternative right or an additional right. The exercise of a SAR granted as an alternative right will terminate the stock option to the extent of the number of shares with respect to which the SAR is exercised and vice versa. For SARs granted as an additional right, both the SAR and the stock option may be exercised. Upon exercise of a SAR, a participant is generally entitled to receive an amount equal to the difference between the fair market value of the shares with respect to which the participant exercises the SAR at the time of grant and the fair market value of the shares with respect to which the participant exercises the SAR at the time of exercise. This amount may be payable in cash or shares of common stock or any combination thereof.

Incentive options and related SARs are generally nontransferable by a participant other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution. Stock options and SARs will be exercisable, during the lifetime of the participant, only by the participant. However, the Compensation Committee in its discretion may permit the transfer of a nonqualified option or any related or independently granted SAR in limited circumstances.

At the time of exercise, the option price for the exercise of options must be paid in full in cash or, with the consent of the Compensation Committee, in common stock. In the discretion of the Compensation Committee, payment may also be made by (i) the Company retaining from the shares to be delivered upon exercise of the option that number of shares having the fair market value on the date of exercise equal to the option price, or (ii) by delivery of irrevocable instructions to a stock broker to promptly deliver to the Company full payment of the option price of the shares so purchased from the proceeds of the stock broker’s sale of, or loan against, such shares (a “Regulation T Stock Option Exercise”).

Restricted Stock Awards or RSUs

The Compensation Committee may grant restricted stock or RSUs to a participant. Restricted stock and RSUs are nontransferable and will have an established restriction period that may differ for each participant and with respect to all or any portion of the same Award. Participants are entitled to all dividend and voting rights with respect to restricted stock. A participant will have no stock ownership interest as a result of being granted RSUs, but may, in the discretion of the Compensation Committee, receive dividend equivalents on such units. The Compensation Committee may make performance-based restricted stock or RSU awards that condition release of the restrictions on the attainment of one or more performance goals during the restricted period in addition to or in lieu of conditioning the release of restrictions on the continued employment of the participant. The performance goals applicable to a performance-based restricted stock or RSU award must be based on the same criteria as are applicable to Performance Shares permitted under the Plan as described below. Upon a termination of employment or service other than due to death or disability, any restricted stock or RSUs shall be immediately forfeited; provided, however, the Committee may in its discretion accelerate any applicable time-based vesting conditions upon certain qualifying terminations. Unless otherwise determined by the Compensation Committee in the case of a participant who dies or becomes permanently disabled, the restrictions applicable to performance-based restricted stock or RSU awards will lapse only after attainment of the performance goals during the restricted period and written certification by the Compensation Committee that the performance goals and any other material term of the award have been attained or satisfied. If the performance goal has not been attained by the end of the restricted period, the performance-based restricted stock or RSUs will be forfeited. At the expiration of the restricted period, (i) with respect to restricted stock, the Company will deliver stock certificates to the participant or the legal representative of the participant’s estate or, if the shares were previously issued with a legend, the Company will reissue certificates without the legend, and (ii) with respect to RSUs, the Company will pay a participant an amount equal to the fair market value of that number of shares to which such RSU relates. In the discretion of the Compensation Committee, the amount paid with respect to an RSU may be paid in cash, common stock, other property or any combination thereof and may be paid in a lump sum or in installments, currently or on a deferred basis with provision for the payment or crediting of a dividend equivalent or a reasonable rate of interest on installment or deferred payment; provided, however, that the amount of cash and the value of any other property paid to a participant during any calendar year in settlement of a performance-based RSU may not exceed $2,000,000.

Automatic Director Restricted Stock

The Plan provides for each non-employee director (referred to herein as an “outside director”) to be automatically granted upon such director’s initial election or appointment an award of a number of shares of restricted common stock equal to (i) $4,167 (which amount may be modified from time to time by the Committee in its Discretion), multiplied by (ii) the number of full months between the date of such election or appointment and the first anniversary of the last completed annual meeting of the Corporation’s stockholders, and divided by (iii) the closing price of the Corporation’s common stock on such date. In addition, on the date of each annual

meeting of the Corporation’s stockholders each outside director then in office is automatically granted an award of a number of shares of restricted common stock equal to $50,000 (which amount may be modified from time to time by the Committee in its Discretion) divided by the closing price of the Corporation’s common stock on such date. The restricted period with respect to each share of restricted stock granted to outside directors pursuant to the foregoing (“Automatic Director Restricted Stock”) lapses on the date of the annual meeting of stockholders held during the calendar year following the date of grant or, if earlier, on the first anniversary of the date of grant, in each case so long as the applicable director remains a director through such date. Such shares of Automatic Director Restricted Stock are forfeited if the applicable director ceases to be a director prior to the date the restrictions with respect to such restricted stock are to lapse, except that if an outside director’s services as a member of the Board terminates because of (1) total disability, (2) death, (3) retirement on or after age 65 and after at least ten years of service as a member of the Board or (4) any other circumstance that the Committee, in its Discretion, deems to be applicable, then all restrictions with respect to such restricted stock immediately lapses upon the occurrence of such event.

Performance Shares

The Compensation Committee may grant to a participant the right to obtain Performance Shares. Unless otherwise determined by the Compensation Committee, rights to obtain Performance Shares are nontransferable. A participant’s right to obtain Performance Shares will be subject to the attainment of one or more pre-established performance goals over a performance period prescribed by the Compensation Committee. The performance goal will be established in writing no later than the earlier of 90 days after the start of a performance period or expiration of the first 25% of the performance period and while the outcome of the performance goal is substantially uncertain. The Compensation Committee, in its discretion, will establish the specific targets and other details of the performance goal. A performance goal must, however, be objective so that a third party with knowledge of the relevant facts could determine whether the goal has been attained. Unless otherwise determined by the Compensation Committee in the case of a participant who dies or becomes permanently disabled, the Performance Shares will be issued to a participant only after the expiration of the performance period and the Compensation Committee has certified in writing that the performance goal and any other material terms of the Award have been satisfied. No participant will have the rights of a shareholder with respect to Performance Shares until their actual issuance.

Other Stock Based Awards

The Compensation Committee may grant participants other Awards that are denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on or related to, shares of common stock as are deemed by the Compensation Committee, in its discretion, to be consistent with the purpose of the Plan, provided that such grants must comply with applicable law. Additionally, the Compensation Committee may permit a participant to make a current, outright purchase of common stock, which shares may or may not be subject to any restrictions or conditions, for a price equal to, less than or greater than the then fair market value of the common stock, with the price payable by the participant in such form and manner and at such time as determined by the Compensation Committee in its discretion.

Compliance with Section 162(m) of the Code

Section 162(m) of the Code limits publicly-held companies to an annual deduction for U.S. federal income tax purposes of $1,000,000 for compensation paid to its chief executive officer, chief financial officer and the three highest compensated executive officers (other than the chief executive officer and chief financial officer) determined at the end of each year. However, performance-based compensation may be excluded from this limitation. The Plan is designed to permit the Compensation Committee to grant awards that qualify for purposes of satisfying the conditions of Section 162(m).

Federal Income Tax Consequences

The rules governing the tax treatment of Options, SARs, restricted stock awards, RSUs, Performance Shares and Other Stock-Based Awards, including treatment of stock acquired upon the exercise of an Option or SAR, and the receipt or release from restriction of Performance Shares or other shares, are quite technical. Therefore, the description of the tax consequences set forth below is necessarily general in nature and does not purport to be complete. Moreover, the statutory provisions are subject to change, as are their interpretations, and their application may vary in individual circumstances. Finally, the tax consequences under applicable state and local income tax laws may not be the same as under the federal income tax laws.

Incentive options granted pursuant to the Plan are intended to qualify as “incentive stock options” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code. If the participant makes no disposition of the shares acquired pursuant to exercise of an incentive option within one year after the transfer of shares to such participant and within two years from the grant of the option, the participant will realize no taxable income as a result of the grant or exercise of such option (except that the alternative minimum tax may apply), and any gain or loss that is subsequently realized upon disposition may be treated as long-term capital gain or loss, as the case may be. Under these circumstances, the Company will not be entitled to a deduction for federal income tax purposes with respect to either the issuance of such incentive options or the transfer of shares upon their exercise.

If shares subject to incentive options are disposed of prior to the expiration of the above time periods, the participant will recognize ordinary income in the year in which the disqualifying disposition occurs, the amount of which will generally be the lesser of (i) the excess of the market value of the shares on the date of exercise over the option price, or (ii) the gain recognized on such disposition. In general, such amount will be deductible by the Company for federal income tax purposes in the same year, as long as the amount constitutes reasonable compensation. In addition, the excess, if any, of the amount realized on a disqualifying disposition over the market value of the shares on the date of exercise will be treated as capital gain.

A participant who acquires shares by exercise of a nonqualified option generally realizes, as taxable ordinary income at the time of exercise, the difference between the exercise price and the fair market value of the shares. In general, such amount will be deductible by the Company in the same year, provided that the amount constitutes reasonable compensation and the Company satisfies certain federal income tax withholding requirements. Subsequent appreciation or decline in the value of the shares on the sale or other disposition of the shares will generally be treated as capital gain or loss.

A participant generally will recognize ordinary income upon the exercise of a stock appreciation right in an amount equal to the amount of cash received and the fair market value of any shares received at the time of settlement of the stock appreciation right, plus the amount of any taxes withheld. Such amount will ordinarily be deductible by the Company in the same year as long as the amounts constitute reasonable compensation and the Company satisfies certain federal income tax withholding requirements.

A participant who is granted a restricted stock award under the Plan is not required to include the value of such shares in ordinary income until the first time such participant’s rights in the shares are transferable or are not subject to substantial risk of forfeiture, whichever occurs earlier, unless such participant timely files an election under Section 83(b) of the Code to be taxed on the receipt of the shares. A participant who is granted RSUs under the Plan is not required to include the value of such RSUs in ordinary income until such time the value of the RSUs is paid to the participant in cash or stock. In the case of either restricted stock or RSUs, the amount of such income will be equal to the fair market value of the shares or RSUs at the time the income is recognized. The Company will ordinarily be entitled to a deduction, in the amount of the ordinary income recognized by the participant, at the same time the participant recognizes such income, as long as the amount constitutes reasonable compensation and the Company satisfies certain federal income tax withholding requirements.

A participant who is granted a performance share Award will generally not recognize any income upon the grant of the Award. The participant will generally recognize as ordinary income the fair market value of the shares or cash transferred upon receipt of the shares by the participant after the completion of the performance period and the attainment of the performance goal, and the Company will generally be entitled to a deduction equal to the fair market value of the shares transferred to the participant at that time as long as the amount constitutes reasonable compensation and the Company satisfies certain federal income tax withholding requirements.

A participant who is permitted to make an outright purchase of unrestricted common stock will recognize ordinary income at the time of purchase if and to the extent the purchase price is less than the fair market value of the common stock on the date of purchase. A participant who is permitted to make an outright purchase of restricted common stock, depending on the nature of the restrictions, will recognize ordinary income at the time the restrictions lapse if and to the extent the then value of the common stock exceeds the price paid by the participant, unless the participant makes an election under Section 83(b) of the Code to measure and recognize any income at the time of purchase. The Company will be entitled to a corresponding deduction equal to the amount of any ordinary income recognized by a participant who makes an outright purchase of common stock, at the time the participant recognizes the ordinary income, provided that such amount constitutes reasonable compensation and the Company satisfies certain federal income tax withholding requirements.

Section 162(m) of the Code denies a deduction to any publicly held corporation for compensation paid to certain covered employees in a taxable year to the extent such compensation exceeds $1,000,000. For this purpose, a covered employee means the Company’s principal executive officer and the Company’s three highest compensated officers (other than the principal executive officer and the principal financial officer). It is possible that compensation attributable to Awards under the Plan to a covered employee, when combined with all other types of compensation received by the covered employee from the Company, may cause this limitation to be exceeded in any particular year. Certain types of compensation, however, including so-called “performance-based compensation,” are disregarded for purposes of the deduction limitation. Compensation attributable to stock options and SARs awarded under the Plan that have an exercise price or base amount not less than the fair market value of the common stock on the grant date should qualify as performance-based compensation under the Plan. Compensation attributable to Performance Shares, performance-based restricted stock awards and performance-based RSUs has also been structured to qualify for the performance-based compensation exclusion to the $1,000,000 deduction limitation.

The foregoing general tax discussion is intended for the information of shareholders considering how to vote with respect to this proposal and not as tax guidance to participants in the Plan. Different tax rules may apply to specific participants and transactions under the Plan.

Withholding Payments

If, upon the grant, exercise, release of restrictions or settlement of or in respect of an Award, or upon any other event or transaction under or relating to the Plan, the Company must pay amounts for federal income or employment tax withholding, in the Compensation Committee’s discretion, either the Company will appropriately reduce the amount of stock, cash or other property to be paid to the participant or the participant must pay such amount to the Company to enable the Company to pay, or reimburse the Company for paying, such income or employment tax withholding. The Compensation Committee may, in its discretion, permit the participant to satisfy such withholding obligations (i) by, in whole or in part, electing to reduce the number of shares of common stock delivered or deliverable by the Company in respect of an Award, (ii) by electing to tender common stock back to the Company subsequent to receipt of such shares in respect of an Award, or (iii) in the case of a Regulation T Stock Option Exercise, by irrevocably instructing the stock broker to promptly deliver (in addition to the option price) an amount equal to such withholding tax from the proceeds of the stock broker’s sale of or loan against some or all of the shares. The Company also may withhold the amount of such taxes from any other sums or property due or to become due to the participant. The Company may also defer issuance of shares under the Plan until payment by the participant to the Company of the amount of any such tax. The

Compensation Committee may make such other arrangements with respect to income or employment tax withholding as it may determine.

Market Value

The market value of the 3,500,000 shares of common stock that would be available for issuance under the Plan is, as of April 1, 2013, $54,705,000. However, the market value of the 2,315,578 shares of common stock that would no longer be available for issuance under the 2011 Plan or the 2006 Plan if the 2013 Plan is adopted is, as of April 1, 2013, $36,192,484. The net of the above amounts is $18,512,516.

Existing Compensation Plan Information

The following table provides information as of December 31, 2012, with respect to our shares of common stock that may be issued under our existing equity compensation plans:

Plan Category

  Number of
Common Shares
to be Issued
Upon Exercise
of Outstanding
Options
(a)
   Weighted-
Average
Exercise
Price of
Outstanding
Options
(b)
   Number of Common Shares
Remaining Available for
Future  Issuance Under
Equity Compensation Plans
(excluding Common Shares
Reflected in Column (a))
(c)
 

Equity compensation plans approved by stockholders:

      

2011 Plan:

   546,000    $12.77     2,304,000  

2006 Plan:

   1,291,179    $7.52     8,578  

1997 Plan:

   292,750    $7.36     —    
  

 

 

     

 

 

 

Total:

   2,129,929       2,312,578  
  

 

 

     

 

 

 

As of April 1, 2013, there were 136,445 shares of unvested, restricted stock awards outstanding. The number of shares issued during 2012, 2011 and 2010 in the form of Restricted Stock were 155,280, 39,729 and 2,806, respectively.

Interests of Directors and Executive Officers; New Benefits Under the Plan

All executive officers, non-executive directors, non-executive officers and employees who are deemed to be “key employees” under the Plan will be eligible for Awards under the Plan if the Plan is approved by the shareholders. In addition, each current outside director will be eligible to receive Automatic Director Restricted Stock under the Plan. Consequently, each current director and each current executive officer has a personal interest in the approval of the Plan. However, the actual benefit and number of shares to be issued to the directors, executive officers, non-executive officers and other employees as a result of the Plan cannot be determined at this time because Awards to be made under the Plan have not been determined or granted and are not determinable using an objective formula. Similarly, the benefits or amounts that would have been awarded to directors, executive officers, non-executive officers and employees during the fiscal year ending December 31, 2012, if the Plan had been in effect during such period, are also not determinable.

Vote Required

The affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast at the Annual Meeting with respect to this proposal will be necessary to approve the Gentherm Incorporated 2013 Equity Incentive Plan. Abstentions will have the same effect as a vote against the proposal. Broker non-votes will have no effect on the outcome of the vote.

The Board of Directors unanimously recommends a vote FOR the approval of the proposed Gentherm Incorporated 2013 Equity Incentive Plan.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

nine directors.  All directors are elected annually and serve one-year terms.  Each director will serve until a one-year termsuccessor is duly elected and qualified or until the next annual meeting. Eachsuch director’s earlier resignation, retirement or death.  The Board has re-nominated all of the nomineescurrent directors.  As discussed below, the Board has affirmatively determined that seven of our nine current directors are independent under the applicable rules of the NASDAQ Global Select Market (“Nasdaq”).

Each nominee has consented to be listed in this proxy statement and agreed to serve as a director if elected; however, ifelected by the shareholders. If any nominee isbecomes unable or declinesunwilling to serve between the date of this proxy statement and the annual meeting, which we do not expect to happen, proxy holders shall voteanticipate, the proxies in accordance with their best judgment for another qualified nominee. If any of the nominees become unavailable to stand for re-election at the Annual Meeting, the Board of Directors may designate a new nominee and the persons named as proxies in the attached proxy card will vote for that substitute andnominee (unless the proxies not withholdingwere previously instructed to withhold votes for the original nominee will be cast for the substitute. Proxies may not be voted for a greater number of personswho has become unable or unwilling to serve). Alternatively, the Board may reduce the size of Directors than the number of nominees named herein.Board.

The following table sets forth certain information regardingBoard recommends that you vote FOR the nine nominees for election toof each of the director nominees.

Board of Directors for one-year terms.

Nominees for Election toThe directors and director nominees of the Board of DirectorsCompany are as follows:

 

Name

  Age  

Biographical Information

  Director
Since

Lewis Booth

  –Audit Committee

  –Nominating Committee

  64  Retired in 2012 as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for Ford Motor Company. Prior to his appointment to CFO, Mr. Booth held the positions of Chairman and CEO of Ford of Europe as well as President of Ford’s Asia Pacific and Africa Operations. He serves on the Board of Directors of Rolls-Royce Holdings, where he is the Chairman of the Audit Committee, and Mondelez International, where he is a member of the Audit Committee. He also serves as a director of University of Liverpool in America Inc. Mr. Booth, a qualified chartered management accountant, received his Bachelor’s degree from Liverpool University.  2013

Francois J. Castaing

  –Audit Committee

  –Nominating Committee

  67  Retired in 2000 as technical advisor to the Chairman of DaimlerChrysler Corporation. Prior to his retirement, Mr. Castaing spent thirteen years with Chrysler Corporation in senior vice-presidential positions. From 1980 to 1987, Mr. Castaing was Vice President of Engineering and Group Vice President Product and Quality of American Motors, until Chrysler acquired that company. Mr. Castaing began his career with Renault as Technical Director for Renault Motorsport Programs. He serves on the board of FIRST: For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, a non-for-profit foundation. Mr. Castaing is a director of publicly-traded TRW Automotive Holdings Corp.  2001

Daniel R. Coker

  60  President and Chief Executive Officer of Gentherm since 2003. Mr. Coker joined Gentherm in 1996 as Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Prior to joining Gentherm, Mr. Coker worked with Arvin, Inc. from 1986 through 1995 as Vice President and General Manager of North American Operations. Mr. Coker received his Bachelor’s degree from Tennessee Technological University.  2007

Name

  Age  

Biographical Information

  Director
Since
 

Sophie Desormière

  –Compensation Committee

  –Nominating Committee

  46  Currently the Group Vice-President-Strategic Marketing and Sales at Solvay, a Belgium-based company and a developer of specialty chemicals. Previously, Ms. Desormière spent 17 years in increasingly responsible positions at Valeo, an independent industrial group focused on the design, production and sale of components, integrated systems and modules for the automotive industry, including Research & Development Product Line Director, Branch Marketing Innovation Director, Group Product Marketing Director and Comfort Enhancement Domain Director. Ms. Desormière is a graduate of the Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Paris, the Institut de Formation du Caoutchouc and the Program for Management Development at Harvard Business School.   2012  

Maurice E.P.

Gunderson

  –Compensation Committee

  –Nominating Committee

  61  Managing Member of the consulting firm Shingebiss, LLC. Previously, Mr. Gunderson spent 15 years as the co-founder and Managing Director of Nth Power, a venture capital firm specializing in investments emerging from the global restructuring of the energy industry and four years at CMEA Capital, a San Francisco based venture capital firm. Mr. Gunderson received a B.A. and M.S. in mechanical engineering from Oregon State University and an M.B.A. from Stanford University. Mr. Gunderson is a director of the following privately-held companies: Contour Energy, Inc., Scion-Sprays Ltd., Runway Capital Management, Radiant Capital Management and DPGC, Inc.   2007  

Oscar B. Marx, III

  74  Chairman of the Board of Directors since 1999 and Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Company from October 2001 through March 2003. Mr. Marx served as President and CEO of TMW Enterprises, Inc., a private investment firm located in Troy, Michigan, from 1995 to 2001. In 1994, Mr. Marx was President and Chief Executive Officer of Electro-Wire Products (predecessor to TMW Enterprises, Inc.), a major supplier of electrical distribution systems to the automotive industry. After 32 years of service, Mr. Marx retired from Ford Motor Company in 1994 as Vice President of its Automotive Components Group (currently known as Visteon Corporation).   1999  

Carlos Mazzorin

  –Compensation Committee

  –Nominating Committee

  71  Retired Magna International, Inc and Ford Motor Company senior executive. Until his retirement in 2010, Mr. Mazzorin served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Magna Electronics, Inc. When Mr. Mazzorin’s concluded his 30 years of service at Ford in 2002, he was Group Vice President of South America and Asia Pacific and Global Purchasing. Mr. Mazzorin currently serves on the Board of Directors of privately-held Bombardier Recreational Products and Management Engineers Consulting. Mr. Mazzorin also serves on the International Advisory Board of Komatsu Ltd. in Japan.   2011  

Name

Age

Biographical InformationAge

Director
Since

Title

Franz Scherer

  –Audit Committee

  –Nominating CommitteeLewis Booth

72

66

Director

Francois J. Castaing

69

Lead Independent Director

Daniel R. Coker

62

President, Chief Executive Officer and Director

Sophie Desormière

48

Director

Maurice E.P. Gunderson

63

Director

Oscar B. Marx, III

76

Chairman of the Supervisory Board at W.E.T Automotive Systems AG since 2004. Former Chief Executive Officer of FTE Automotive Group and SIRONA Group. Dr. Scherer currently serves on the Supervisory Boards of Mannheimer AG Holding, Mannheimer Versicherungs AG, Mamax Lebensversicherungs AG and Seeburger AG. Dr. Scherer studied economics and business at the Free University Berlin and the London School of Economics, and holds a master’s degree from the University of Texas and a doctorate degree from the Free University Berlin.

New Nominee

Byron Shaw

  –Nominating CommitteeCarlos E. Mazzorin

44

73

Owner of

Director

Franz Scherer

74

Director

Byron T. Shaw LLC, a consulting firmprovidingdiligence, strategy and execution advisory services focusing on automotive technology and related services. From 2006 to 2012, Dr. Shaw worked at General Motors in various positions, most recently as Managing Director of the Silicon Valley Office for General Motors Ventures LLC. Previously worked at BMW from 1998 to 2003 holding various positions, including Principal Technology Engineer Manager of Advanced Technology. Dr. Shaw serves on the Board of Directors of three privately-held companies, Smalltech LLC, Project Renovo and iGate NEST. Dr. Shaw received Bachelor of Science degrees and a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering/controls from University of California, Berkeley.II

46

New Nominee

Director

Specific Qualifications, Attributes, Skills and Experience to be Represented on the Board

The Nominating Committee is responsible for reviewing and assessing with the Board the appropriate skills, experience and background sought of Directors

Below is a brief discussionBoard members in the context of our business and the then-current membership on the Board.  The Committee and the Board review and assess the continued relevance of and emphasis on these factors as part of the specific experience, qualifications, attributes or skillsBoard’s self-assessment process and in connection with candidate searches to determine if they are effective in helping to satisfy the Board’s goal of creating and sustaining a Board that led tocan appropriately support and oversee the conclusion that each of our directors should be nominated for election or re-election at this time. Company’s activities.

We believe that our directors as a whole, have an appropriate balance of knowledge, experience, attributes, skills and expertise requiredas a group to ensure that the Board appropriately fulfills its oversight responsibilities and acts in the best interests of shareholders. Although specific qualifications for Board membership may vary from time to time, desired qualities include (A) the highest ethical character, integrity and shared values with the Company, (B) loyalty to the Company and concern for its success and welfare, (C) sound business judgment, and (D) sufficient commitment and availability to effectively carry out a director’s duties. Listed below are additional key skills and experience that we consider important for our Boarddirectors to have in light of Directors. We believeour current business and structure. Thereafter, the biographies of the directors and nominees set forth their business experience during at least the past five years, as well as the specific experience, qualifications, attributes and skills that our directorsled to the Nominating Committee’s conclusion that each director and nominee should continue to serve on the Board.

·

Senior Leadership Experience. Directors who have served in senior leadership positions can provide experience and perspective in analyzing, shaping, and overseeing the execution of important operational, organizational and policy issues at a senior level.

·

Business Development and Mergers and Acquisitions Experience. Directors who have a background in business development and in mergers and acquisitions transactions can provide insight into developing and implementing strategies for growing our business, which may include mergers and acquisitions. Useful experience in mergers and acquisitions includes an understanding of the importance of “fit” with the Company’s culture and strategy, the valuation of transactions, and management’s plans for integration with existing operations.


·

Financial and Accounting Expertise. Knowledge of the financial markets, corporate finance, accounting regulations, and accounting and financial reporting processes can assist our directors in understanding, advising, and overseeing our capital structure, financing and investing activities, financial reporting, and internal control of such activities. The Company also strives to have a number of directors who qualify as financial experts under SEC rules.

·

Industry Expertise. We design, develop and manufacture innovative thermal management technologies.  The automotive industry is our primary market, although we are focused on expanding the depth and breadth of our core technologies and the portfolio of products derived from those technologies, both within and outside the automotive market.  As a result, experience in the automotive industry, as well as other industries in which we hope to expand, is useful in understanding our research and development efforts, competing technologies, the various products and processes that we develop, our manufacturing operations, and the market segments in which we operate.

·

Global Expertise.  We have significant global operations, as we operate in locations aligned with our major customers’ product strategies in order to provide locally enhanced design, integration and production capabilities and to identify future thermal technology product opportunities in both automotive and other markets.  Further, our customers and vendors currently span North America, Europe and Asia, and further global penetration in those markets is a key element of our business strategy.  Directors with global expertise can provide a useful business and cultural perspective regarding aspects of our business.

·

Research and Development and Commercialization of Technologies Experience. The development and commercialization of new or improved technologies, which can take many years and be very expensive, is critical to the execution of our business strategy. Directors with experience in companies who have prioritized research and development and commercializing products related thereto can provide useful oversight of such matters.

Director Background and Qualifications

Lewis Booth has served as a broad rangedirector of personal characteristics, including leadership, management, technological and financial experience, and the ability to act with integrity using sound judgment. We also believe that our directors provide leadership to management and are willing to commit the requisite time for preparation and attendance at Board and committee meetings.

Company since 2013.  Mr. Booth served as the Executive Vice PresidentVice-President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Ford Motor Company from 2008 until his retirement in 2012.  Prior to 2012. his appointment to CFO, Mr. Booth held the positions of Chairman and CEO of Ford of Europe as well as President of Ford’s Asia Pacific and Africa Operations. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Rolls-Royce Holdings, where he is the Senior Independent Director, Chairman of the Audit Committee, a member of the Nominations and Governance Committee and a member of the Science and Technology Committee, and Mondelez International, where he is a member of the Finance Committee and a member of the Human Resources and Compensation Committee. Mr. Booth also serves as a director of the University of Liverpool in America Inc. Mr. Booth, a qualified chartered management accountant, received his Bachelor’s engineering degree from Liverpool University.

As Executive Vice-President and CFO of Ford CFO,Motor Company, Mr. Booth was responsible for all of the company’s financial operations, including the Controller’s office, Treasurytreasury and investor relations. Mr. Booth’s 34-year decorated career at Ford illustrates his financial expertise and knowledge of manufacturing, operations and the investment community. His strategic expertise in the worldwide automotive industry is very importantcritical to Genthermus as we continue to expand globally. Based on the foregoing, the Board has determined that Mr. Booth is an “audit committee financial expert” in accordance with SEC rules.

Francois J. Castaing has served as a director of the Company since 2001.  Mr. Castaing retired in 2000 as technical advisor to the Chairman of Chrysler Corporation. Prior to his retirement, Mr. Castaing spent 13 years with Chrysler Corporation, where he held various positions, including Vice-President of Vehicle Engineering from 1988 to 1996 and President of Chrysler International from 1996 to 1997. Mr. Castaing was Vice-President of Engineering and Group Vice-President Product and Quality of American Motors, from 1980 until Chrysler acquired that company in 1987. Mr. Castaing began his career with Renault as Technical Director for Renault Motorsport Programs. He currently serves as a director of publicly-traded TRW Automotive Holdings Corp., where he is a member of the Audit Committee and the Chairman of the Compensation Committee.  Mr. Castaing also serves on the board of FIRST in Michigan: For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, a not-for-profit foundation. 

Mr. Castaing’s distinguished career in the automotive industry has given him extensive experience in our most important customer market. During his tenure at some of the world’s largest automobile manufacturers, Mr. Castaing developed leadership, strategic planning and organizational skills that greatly benefit the Company. In addition, his technical background allowscontributes to his deep understanding of our operations and enables him to understand the Company’s operations and assist in problem solving.

  He also has significant knowledge of the Company based on his 14 years of service on the Board.

Mr.Daniel R. Coker has served as our President and Chief Executive Officer since 2003, after first joiningand as a director since 2007.  Mr. Coker joined Gentherm in 1996 as Vice PresidentVice-President of Sales and Marketing in 1996. As a result, Marketing. Prior to such time, from 1986 to 1995, Mr. Coker served as Vice-President and General Manager of North American Operations for Arvin, Inc.  Mr. Coker received his Bachelor’s degree from Tennessee Technological University.


Mr. Coker has extensive knowledge of the day to day operations of our business. Mr. Coker’s engineeringHis product development background allows him to fully understand and manage our business. HisIn addition, Mr. Coker’s experience as our highest ranked officer, coupled with the managerial positions he previously held inwith other automotive-related companies, has givengives Mr. Coker industry insight and leadership skills and executive management skills key to our Company’s performance.

Sophie Desormière has served as a director of the Company since 2012.  Ms. Desormiére has served as General Manager Marketing and Sales, Senior Executive Vice-President at Solvay, a Belgium-based company and a developer of specialty chemicals, since November 2010. Previously, Ms. Desormière spent 17 years in increasingly responsible positions at Valeo, an independent industrial group focused on the design, production and sale of components, integrated systems and modules for the automotive industry, including Research & Development Product Line Director, Branch Marketing Innovation Director, Group Product Marketing Director and Comfort Enhancement Domain Director. Ms. Desormière is a graduate of the Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Paris, the Institut de Formation du Caoutchouc and the Program for Management Development at Harvard Business School.

Ms. Desormière has broad experience in product planning, product development and market analysis. Her background in these areas will helpassists the Company developin its development of long-term product strategies. In addition, the skills Ms. Desormière has developed while working at global companies with significant European operations will be quite importantenables her to provide key insight with respect to the Company’s integration of its worldwide operations.

Maurice E.P. Gunderson has served as a director of the Company works to harness synergies created by the acquisition of a majority interest in W.E.T. Automotive Systems AG.

since 2007.  Mr. Gunderson has significant financialserved as Managing Member of the consulting firm Shingebiss, LLC since 1999. Previously, Mr. Gunderson spent 15 years as the co-founder and managerial experience stemmingManaging Director of Nth Power, a venture capital firm specializing in investments emerging from histhe global restructuring of the energy industry, and four years at CMEA Capital, a San Francisco based venture capital firm. Mr. Gunderson also serves as an advisor to Auto Tech Ventures, as well as a director of Contour Energy, Inc., Runway Capital Management and Radiant Capital Management, all privately-held companies. Mr. Gunderson received a Bachelor of Arts degree and Master of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Oregon State University and an M.B.A. from Stanford University.

Mr. Gunderson’s background as a venture capitalist. He has significant experience investing in growth industries, similarcapitalist enables him to provide key insight with respect to the Company’s investmentinvestments in new thermoelectric technologies. Mr. Gunderson sitsalso has strong leadership and governance skills, as a directorresult of his board service for several energy and materials-related companies and brings important leadership and governance skills to the Board. He also has ancompanies. His engineering background which helpsgives him better understand the Company’sa deep understanding of our business and operations.

Mr.Oscar B. Marx, ourIII has served as Chairman of the Board since he joined the Board in 1999.  Mr. Marx also served as Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Company from October 2001 through March 2003. He previously served as President and CEO of TMW Enterprises, Inc., a private investment firm located in Troy, Michigan, from 1995 to 2001. In 1994, Mr. Marx was President and Chief Executive Officer of Electro-Wire Products (predecessor to TMW Enterprises, Inc.), a major supplier of electrical distribution systems to the automotive industry. After 32 years of service, Mr. Marx retired from Ford Motor Company in 1994 as Vice-President of its Automotive Components Group (currently known as Visteon Corporation). 

Mr. Marx has a unique perspective and understanding of the Company’s business, given his prior service as our Interim Chief Executive Officer.  As a result, he is very familiar with the Company’s business.In addition, Mr. Marx’s experience as a senior executive at other automotive-related companies, including Ford Motor Company, givegives him relevant industry, managerial and strategic planning expertise key to our Company’s success.  He also has financial experience and skills that make himsignificant knowledge of the Company based on his 16 years of service on the Board.

Carlos E. Mazzorin has served as a valuable memberdirector of our Audit Committee.

the Company since 2011.  Mr. Mazzorin hasserved as senior executive of Magna International, Inc. from 2002 until his retirement in 2010, and Ford Motor Company from 1972 to 2002. At Magna, Mr. Mazzorin held the position of President and COO for Magna Mirrors and then President and COO of Magna Electronics. When Mr. Mazzorin concluded his 30 years of service at Ford Motor Company in 2002, he had held the positions of Group Vice-President South America Operations and Asia Pacific Operations and Global Purchasing. Mr. Mazzorin currently serves on the Board of Directors of publicly-traded Bombardier Recreational Products, where he serves on the Audit and Investment and Risk Committees.

Having over 40 years of experience working in progressively responsible supply chain and operations management positions within the automotive industry. He served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Magna Mirrors from 2002 to 2007 and Magna Electronics from 2007 to 2010.industry, Mr. Mazzorin brings critical supply-chain management skills to the Board.  His experience working for companies with significant international operations enables him to provide critical insight with respect to the Company’s integration of its worldwide operations.

Franz Scherer has served as a director of the Company since 2013.  Dr. Scherer is currently theserved as Chairman of the Supervisory Board of W.E.T. Automotive Systems AG a majority-owned subsidiary of the Company. He has servedfrom 2004 until it was merged into Gentherm GmbH in 2014. Prior to such position for almost nine years. In addition, Dr. Scherer hastime, he served as Chief Executive Officer of FTE Automotive Group and SIRONA Group.  Dr. Scherer currently serves on the Supervisory Boards of Mannheimer Versicherungs AG and Seeburger AG. He studied economics and business at the Free University Berlin and the London School of Economics, and holds a numbermaster’s degree from the University of companiesTexas and a doctorate degree from the Free University Berlin.


Dr. Scherer has extensivea unique perspective and broadunderstanding of the Company’s business experiences. Dr. Scherer’s longand history, given his 10 years of service as Chairman of the Supervisory Board of W.E.T. Automotive Systems AG before its acquisition and merger into Gentherm GmbH.  His experience at W.E.T.,as Chairman gives him a deep understanding of the entityrelated business units that generatesgenerate a majority of our revenues, will be invaluablewhich has been critical to our worldwide integration efforts.  Based on Dr. Scherer’s experience as we work to integrate W.E.T. into Gentherm.the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of multinational companies, the Board has determined that Dr. Scherer is an “audit committee financial expert” in accordance with SEC rules.

Byron T. Shaw II has served as a director of the Company since 2013.  Dr. Shaw has been the President of Byron Shaw LLC, a consulting firm providing diligence, strategy and execution advisory services focusing on automotive technology and related services, since 2012. From 2006 to 2012, Dr. Shaw worked at General Motors in various positions, most recently as Managing Director of the Silicon Valley Office for General Motors and General Motors Ventures LLC.  From 1998 to 2003, he worked at BMW in various positions, including Principal Technology Engineer and Manager of Advanced Technology. Dr. Shaw currently serves on the Board of Directors or Advisory Board of several privately-held companies, including Smalltech LLC, Project Renovo, Qualia Networks, Auto Tech Ventures, Up Shift Cars and Rotary Wing Engine. Dr. Shaw received Bachelor of Science degrees and a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering/controls from University of California, Berkeley.

Dr. Shaw’s extensive experience in the automotive industry and in advanced technologies. His automotive experience will be very helpful as we continuetechnologies enables him to makeprovide key insight with respect to improvements in our seat comfortexisting products.  In addition, as we workHis technical expertise has also been critical to developthe Company’s development of new products infor other markets, Dr. Shaw’s technical expertise and guidance willmarkets.

Director Independence

The Board believes that there should be extremely valuable.

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

Daniel R. Coker, 60, was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer in March 2003. He was appointed to the Boardat least a majority of Directors in February, 2007. Mr. Coker also servedindependent directors on the Company’sBoard. The Board recently undertook its annual review of Directors from 2003 to 2004. Additional information concerning Mr. Coker can be found above under the heading “Board of Directors.”

James L. Mertes, 60, has served as Vice President of Quality and Operations since 1994. He joined the Company in 1993 as Vice President of Quality. Prior to 1993, Mr. Mertes was Director of Quality at TRW Sensor Operations, a unit of TRW Inc.

Daniel J. Pace, 61, has served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing since 2003. He joined the Company in 1996 as National Sales Manager. Prior to 1996, Mr. Pace was Program Manager at Leckie & Associates, a Michigan based manufacturers’ representative agency.

Stephen C. Davis, 59, was appointed Vice-President of Engineering and Product Development in May, 2010 and Chief Technology Officer in February, 2012. He joined the Company in 2009 as the Senior Vice President, Operations of BSST. Prior to that date, he worked for Visteon Corporation from 2005 as Director of Climate Control Systems. Prior to 2005, Mr. Davis held other senior engineering positions at Visteon Corporation and Ford Motor Company.

Barry G. Steele, 42, was appointed Vice President Finance and Chief Financial Officer in 2004 and Treasurer in 2005. Prior to joining Gentherm, Mr. Steele worked since 1997 in a number of senior financial management positions, including Chief Financial Officer for Advanced Accessory Systems, LLC, a global supplier of specialty accessories to the automotive industry. Prior to 1997, Mr. Steele worked in the public accounting profession. Mr. Steele received a bachelor’s degree from Hillsdale College in 1992.

David J. Bomzer, 51, was appointed Vice-President of Human Resources in March, 2012. Mr. Bomzer has worked for more than 25 years in global industrial manufacturing, pharmaceutical and high technology industries. Before joining Gentherm, Mr. Bomzer served as a Management Consultant at The Executive Edge, Inc. Prior to that, Mr. Bomzer was Vice President of Human Resources at CertainTeed Corporation. Mr. Bomzer also worked at Ingersoll-Rand, Pfizer and Abbott Laboratories in a number of different senior management positions.

Kenneth J. Phillips, 39, was appointed Vice-President and General Counsel and Secretary in June, 2012. Prior to joining Gentherm, Mr. Phillips was a Partner in the Detroit, Michigan office of the law firm Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP. Mr. Phillips graduated with a J.D. from Wayne State University and a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance from Oakland University. Mr. Phillips is also a Certified Public Accountant.

The following individuals are executive officers of W.E.T., a subsidiary of the Company; however, in light of W.E.T.’s significant contribution to Gentherm’s consolidated revenues and earnings, these individuals are treated as executive officers for purposes of this Proxy Statement:

Caspar Baumhauer,50, has served as the Chief Executive Officer of W.E.T. since 2005. Prior to his association with W.E.T., he was a member of the executive board of Faurecia from 2002 to 2005 and Managing Director of Faurecia Interior Systems from 2000 to 2002.

Thomas Liedl, 45, has served as the Chief Financial Officer of W.E.T. since 2008. From 1999 to 2008, he held the position of Vice-President Finance at W.E.T. He worked in public accounting for KPMG from 1994 to 1999 and holds an MBA from the University of Augsburg and a M.A. from Wayne State University.

Frithjof Oldorff,46, has served as the Chief Operating Officer of W.E.T. since 2008. He previously was the Director of Operations for Freudenberg from 2005 to 2007 and held various positions at Faurecia from 1995 to 2005.

Officers of the Company serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors. Officers of W.E.T. serve at the pleasure of the Supervisory Board of W.E.T. and otherwisedirector independence in accordance with the termsapplicable rules of their individual Service AgreementsNasdaq. The independence rules include a series of objective tests, including that the director is not employed by us and has not engaged in various types of business dealings with W.E.T.

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE INFORMATION

us. In addition, the Board Meetings and Attendance by Directors

During 2012, four regular meetings and six special meetingsis required to make a subjective determination as to each independent director that no relationship exists which, in the opinion of the Board, would interfere with the exercise of Directors were held. Theindependent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director.

Consistent with these considerations, the Board has affirmatively determined that Ms. Desormière and Messrs. Booth, Castaing, Gunderson, Mazzorin, Scherer and Shaw are independent directors under the applicable rules of Directors also actedNasdaq.  Mr. Coker is employed by unanimous written consent from time to time. Eachus and therefore is not an independent director.  Mr. Marx is not an independent director attended 75% or moreas a result of the total number of Board of Directors’ meetings and 75% or moreannual compensation received by his son as our employee, which is described in further detail under “Related Person Transactions.”

Each member of the total number of meetings held by all committees on which he served.

Annual Meeting of ShareholdersAudit Committee, Compensation Committee, Nominating Committee, Corporate Governance Committee and Attendance by Directors

The Board of Directors has adopted the following policy with regard to director attendance at annual meetings:

Members ofTechnology Committee is independent under Nasdaq rules. In addition, the Board of Directors are strongly encouraged to attend the Company’s annual meeting of shareholders in person. If attendance in person is not possible, members of the Board of Directors are strongly encouraged to attend the Company’s annual meeting of shareholders via telephone or similar communication equipment. The Board of Directors will use reasonable efforts to schedule the annual meeting of shareholders on such a date so as to maximize the attendance of its members.

At the 2012 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, all eight then-current Board members were in attendance either in person or by telephone.

Independence of the Board of Directors

Upon consideration of the criteria and requirements regarding director independence set forth in rules promulgated by Nasdaq, the Board of Directors has affirmatively determined that upon election of the above nominees for director, a majority of the members of the Audit Committee and Compensation Committee qualify as independent in accordance with the additional independence rules established by the SEC and Nasdaq.


BOARD MATTERS

The Board of Directors will be “independent directors” as such term is defined

General

The Board has general oversight responsibility for our affairs and, in Nasdaq listing requirements. Specifically,exercising its fiduciary duties, the Board represents and acts on behalf of Directors has determined that Booth, Castaing, Desormière, Gundersonthe shareholders. Although the Board does not have responsibility for our day-to-day management, it stays regularly informed about our business and Mazzorin,provides oversight and director nominees Schererguidance to our management through periodic meetings and Shaw, each meet such criteriaother communications. The Board provides critical oversight in, among other things, our strategic planning process, leadership development and requirements. The foregoing directors are sometimes referred to hereinsuccession planning, risk management, as well as other functions carried out through the “Independent Directors.” Directors Coker and Marx are not treatedBoard committees as Independent Directors by the Board.described below.

Board Leadership

The Independent Directors meet in a separate executive session immediately following each regular meeting of theCompany’s current Board of Directors or, if such a meetingleadership is not possible, then within a reasonable period of time thereafter. In addition, the Independent Directors hold additional meetings periodically as deemed necessary or appropriate.follows:

Lead Independent Director

·

Mr. Marx, Chairman of the Board, presides at all Board and shareholder meetings;

·

Mr. Coker, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, is responsible for the Company’s day-to-day operations and strategic leadership, and the implementation of those policies and strategies approved by the Board; and

·

Mr. Castaing, Lead Independent Director, acts as chairman of all meetings of the independent directors (including executive sessions) and has the authority to call additional meetings of the independent directors at any time.

The Independent Directors have appointed Francois Castaing to act asBoard believes that, by separating the Lead Independent Director. In such position, Mr. Castaing acts as the chairmanpositions of all meetings of the Independent Directors and has the authority to call for additional meetings of the Independent Directors at any time. The Lead Independent Director also acts as a liaison between the Independent Directors, on the one hand, and the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, on the other hand.

Corporate Governance Guidelines

Our Board of Directors has adopted Corporate Governance Guidelines that provide a structure within which our directors and management can effectively pursue Gentherm’s objectives for the benefit of our stockholders. The Corporate Governance Guidelines provide guidance in the areas of duties of the Board of Directors, procedures to be followed by the Board of Directors, committees, compensation and continuing education of members of the Board and communications from shareholders. A current copy of Gentherm’s Corporate Governance Guidelines is available to shareholders at the Company’s website, at www.gentherm.com under the link “About Us”; a copy may also be obtained free of charge by delivering written request to: Kenneth J. Phillips, Secretary of Gentherm Incorporated, 21680 Haggerty Road, Suite 101, Northville, Michigan 48167.

Director and Chief Executive Officer Stock Ownership Requirements

Our Board of Directors has adopted stock ownership requirements that apply to all of our directors as well as our Chief Executive Officer. The Board of Directors believes that directors and the Chief Executive Officer should own and hold common stock of the Company to further align their interest with the interests of the Company’s stockholders. The stock ownership requirements call for each of our directors and our Chief Executive Officer to hold a minimum amount of Company common stock by the later of (1) December 31, 2015, for our directors and our Chief Executive Officer who held such positions as of December 31, 2011, or (2) four years after such individual was first appointed or elected to such position. The stock ownership requirements call for our directors and our Chief Executive to hold at least that number of shares of the Company’s common stock having a combined market value of $100,000, computed as of each regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Directors, based on the average closing price as of the last day of the then-most recently completed twelve full calendar months. For purposes of such calculation, shares held by directors individually, by their spouse or other family member residing in the same household, in trust for their economic benefit or the economic benefit of their spouse or family member residing in the same household or in a retirement plan or deferred compensation plan for their benefit, will be included. The value of “in-the-money” vested options will be also included, but the value of unvested options or restricted stock grants will not. The Compensation Committee of the Board will review any non-compliance with the stock ownership requirements and recommend to the Board any actions necessary to remedy such non-compliance.

Policy for Securities Trading by Company Personnel

Our Board of Directors has adopted a Statement of Policy for Securities Trading by Company Personnel. Such policy requires Company employees to adhere to trading restrictions with respect to the Company stock under various circumstances. The policy is intended to ensure compliance with the Insider Trading and Securities Fraud Enforcement Act and other relevant laws, rules and regulations governing trading by insiders. Among the activities concerning the Company’s common stock that are prohibited by the policy are: making trades while in possession of material, non-public information, trading on a short-term basis of less than 6 months, short sales, hedging transactions, margin accounts and pledges. A current copy of such policy is available to shareholders at the Company’s website, at www.gentherm.com under the link “About Us”; a copy may also be obtained free of charge by delivering written request to: Kenneth J. Phillips, Secretary of Gentherm Incorporated, 21680 Haggerty Road, Suite 101, Northville, Michigan 48167.

Nominating Committee

The Board of Directors has established a Nominating Committee, which consists of all of the current Independent Directors, including Ms. Desormiere and Messrs. Booth, Castaing, Gunderson and Mazzorin. The two new director nominees, Messrs. Scherer and Shaw, will also be members of the Nominating Committee. All members of the Nominating Committee participated in determining this year’s nominees for election to the Board of Directors. Three meetings of the Nominating Committee were held during the year. The two new nominees to the Board of Directors were recommended by existing directors and management.

The Board of Directors has adopted a written charter for the Nominating Committee, a current copy of which is available to shareholders at the Company’s website, at www.gentherm.com under the link “About Us”; a copy may also be obtained free of charge by delivering written request to: Kenneth J. Phillips, Secretary of Gentherm Incorporated, 21680 Haggerty Road, Suite 101, Northville, Michigan 48167.

The Board of Directors has determined it is important that the Company have, as directors, individuals that have significant experience in the industries in which the Company operates or the technologies the Company utilizes. The formal policy with regard to the consideration of any director candidates recommended by shareholders is set forth in the Corporate Governance Guidelines adopted by the Board of Directors and the next paragraph describes the resolution adopted by the Board with respect to the qualification process. The Board of Directors is willing to accept recommendations from shareholders of director candidates. Shareholders interested

in nominating director candidates must comply with the procedures outlined in the section below entitled “Security Holder Communication to the Board of Directors,” which summarizes the procedures outlined in the Company’s Corporate Governance Guildelines.

The Nominating Committee will consider all nominees for director positions proposed by shareholders, management or other directors in the same manner. The Nominating Committee will select from the list of such proposed candidates for additional review those candidates it considers to be qualified. A person’s automotive industry experience, contacts in the automobile industry, judgment, technical expertise, financial expertise, independence and understanding of Gentherm’s business are all qualifications considered to be desirable by the Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee may, if they so choose, discuss such candidates with the full Board of Directors for additional input. The Nominating Committee then will decide whether to invite the candidate to be a nominee for election to the Board of Directors.

The Nominating Committee considers the needs for the Board of Directors as a whole when identifying and evaluating nominees and, among other things, considers diversity in background, age, experience, qualifications, attributes and skills in identifying nominees, although it does not have a formal policy regarding the consideration of diversity. See “Qualifications of Directors” above for a description of the diverse qualifications of our current directors.

Security Holder Communication to the Board of Directors

Shareholders wishing to send communications directly to the Board of Directors or to a specific member of the Board of Directors are asked to send such communications via U.S. Mail to the attention of Kenneth J. Phillips, Secretary of Gentherm Incorporated, 21680 Haggerty Road, Suite 101, Northville, Michigan 48167. Shareholders sending such communications should clearly mark the item as intended for delivery to the Board of Directors or to a specific member of the Board of Directors of Gentherm. Mr. Phillips has been instructed by the Board of Directors to screen each communication so received only for the limited purposes of ascertaining (1) whether such communication is indeed from a shareholder and (2) whether such communication relates to Gentherm. Mr. Phillips will promptly forward copies of all such communications that pass his limited screening to each member of the Board of Directors, in the case of communications to the entire Board of Directors, or to the particular member addressee. Delivery by Mr. Phillips will be completed by mail, facsimile or e-mail, as Mr. Phillips determines appropriate.

If a shareholder’s communication to the Board of Directors involves or concerns Mr. Phillips, or if a shareholder has another appropriate reason for communicating to the Board of Directors through a means other than through Mr. Phillips, such shareholders are asked to send such communications via U.S. Mail to the attention of either Daniel R. Coker, President of Gentherm Incorporated, or Oscar B. Marx, III, Chairman of Gentherm Incorporated, 21680 Haggerty Road, Suite 101, Northville, Michigan 48167. Any such communication to Mr. Coker or Mr. Marx should clearly state that it is a shareholder communication and should clearly state the reason it was not delivered to Mr. Phillips for further delivery to the Board of Directors.

Board Leadership Structure and Role in Risk Oversight

The Board of Directors has concluded that the role of Chairman of the Board should be separate from that of Chief Executive Officer. The Chairman of the Board presides at all Board and shareholder meetings and the Chief Executive Officer reports to the entire Board of Directors. We believe that, by separating these positions, the Board of Directors can provide better oversight of risks, including credit, liquidity and operational risks, faced by the Company.  The Board of Directors establishes policy, adopts financial plans, approves significant changes to operational activities and provides general oversightSince neither the Chairman of the business. TheBoard nor the Chief Executive Officer is responsible for day-to-day operationsconsidered to be independent, the Board has designated a Lead Independent Director to act as a liaison both between the Chairman of the Board and implementing the strategiesChief Executive Officer and between these individuals, on the one hand, and the independent directors, on the other hand.

Board Oversight of Risk Management

The Board oversees the Company’s risk management primarily through the following:

·

the Board’s review and approval of an annual business plan, including strategy and liquidity;

·

the Board’s review of a summary of one or more material risks and opportunities at each regular meeting of the Board;

·

at least quarterly review by the Board of business developments, business plan implementation, liquidity and financial results;

·

the Board’s oversight of succession planning;

·

the Board’s oversight of capital spending and financings, as well as mergers, acquisitions and divestitures;

·

the Board’s oversight of the Company’s governance policies and Board structure, as well as the self-assessment process of the Board and its committees (which matters will be managed by the Corporate Governance Committee beginning in 2015);

·

the Audit Committee’s oversight of significant financial risk exposures (including credit, liquidity, legal, regulatory and other contingencies), accounting and financial reporting, disclosure controls and internal control over financial reporting, the internal audit function, the legal, regulatory and ethical compliance functions, and consultations with our independent registered public accounting firm;

·

the Compensation Committee’s review of executive officer compensation and its relationship to our business plans, and of compensation plans generally and the related incentives, risks and risk mitigants;

·

the Corporate Governance Committee’s review of compliance with the Corporate Governance Guidelines; and

·

Board and committee executive sessions, and meetings of the independent directors.


Meetings

The Board and its committees meet throughout the year on a set schedule, and also hold special meetings and act by written consent from time to time as appropriate. The independent directors hold regularly scheduled executive sessions to meet without management present. These executive sessions generally occur around regularly scheduled meetings of the Board. The independent directors also hold additional meetings periodically as deemed necessary or appropriate.

All directors are expected to attend all meetings of the Board and of the Board committees on which they serve. In 2014, the Board met five times, and each director attended significantly more than 75% of the aggregate of all meetings of the Board and the committees of which he or she was a member.

The Board has adopted a policy strongly encouraging directors to attend the Company’s annual meeting of shareholders in person or, if necessary, by telephone or similar communication equipment.  All directors attended the 2014 annual meeting of shareholders.

Committees of the Board

The Board has delegated various responsibilities and authority to Board committees. Each committee has regularly scheduled meetings and reports on its activities to the full Board. Each committee operates under a written charter approved by the Board, of Directors. Other key executive officers, includingwhich is reviewed annually by the Chief Financial Officer, report either regularly or periodically torespective committee and the Board and is available on our website, www.gentherm.com, under the “About Us” tab. The table below sets forth the current membership for the five Board committees and the number of Directors.

The Board of Directors’ risk oversight is administered primarily though the following:meetings held for each in 2014.

 

review and approval of an annual business plan;

Director

 

Audit

 

 

Compensation

 

 

Nominating

 

 

Corporate

Governance1

 

 

Technology

 

Lewis Booth

 

Chair

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

Chair

 

 

 

 

 

Francois J. Castaing

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chair

 

 

X

 

 

X

 

Sophie Desormière

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maurice E.P. Gunderson

 

 

 

 

 

Chair

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

Carlos E. Mazzorin

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Franz Scherer

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

Byron T. Shaw II

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chair

 

Meetings

 

 

9

 

 

 

4

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

4

 

 

review of a summary of risks and opportunities at each regular meeting of the Board of Directors;

1

The Corporate Governance Committee was established in February 2015.

at least quarterly review of business developments, business plan implementation and financial results;

Audit Committee oversight of internal control over financial reporting; and

Compensation Committee review of executive officer compensation and its relationship to our business plans.

Audit Committee

An Audit Committee has been established by the Board of Directors in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Audit Committee is currently comprised of Independent Directors Lewis Booth, Francois Castaing, John Devine and James Donlon. If elected Mr. Scherer will join the Audit Committee. Mr. Devine is the current Chairman of the Audit Committee. Upon Mr. Devine’s retirement as of the Annual Meeting, Mr. Booth will become Chairman of the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee held four meetings during 2012.

The Audit Committee represents the BoardCommittee’s responsibilities include:

·

providing general oversight of Directors in discharging its responsibility relating to the accounting, auditing and financial reporting processes, including reviewing the audit results and monitoring the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, disclosure controls and the internal audit function;

·

reviewing our reports filed with or furnished to the SEC that include financial statements or results;

·

monitoring compliance with significant legal and regulatory requirements and other risks related to financial reporting and internal control over financial reporting; and

·

the appointment, retention, compensation and oversight of the work of our independent registered public accounting firm, currently Grant Thornton.

The responsibilities and financial practices of the Company and has general responsibility for surveillance of internal controls and accounting and audit activities of the Company. Committee are described in greater detail in “Audit Committee Report” and “Audit Committee Matters,” as well as in its charter.

The Board has determined that each Audit Committee member has sufficient knowledge in reading and understanding financial statements to serve on the Committee.

The Board of Directors has adopted a written charter for the Audit Committee, a current copy of which is available to shareholders on the Company’s website at www.Gentherm.com under the link “About Us”; a copy may also be obtained free of charge by delivering written request to: Kenneth J. Phillips, Secretary of Gentherm Incorporated, 21680 Haggerty Road, Suite 101, Northville, Michigan 48167.

Under Nasdaq listing requirements, listed companies must have audit committees comprised of at least three members who meet a heightened standard of independence. Upon consideration of the criteria and requirements regarding such heightened standard of independence, the Board of Directors hasfurther determined that all four currenttwo Committee members, of the Audit Committee do currently meet such criteriaMessrs. Booth and requirements and are or were “independent” for such purposes.

The Board of Directors has also reviewed the experience, qualifications and skills of each member of the Audit Committee and determined that Mr. Devine, (who,Scherer, qualify as noted above, meets the Nasdaq heightened standard of independence for audit committee purposes and who is currently the Chairman of the Audit Committee) is an “audit committee financial expert,” as such term is usedexperts” in Item 401 of Regulation S-K promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Mr. Devine’s experience that qualifies him as an audit committee financial expert includes his previous experience as the Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer of General Motors and as the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Ford Motor Company.accordance with SEC rules. The designation of an “audit committee financial expert” does not impose upon such persons any duties, obligations or liabilityliabilities that are greater than those which are generally imposed on each of them as a member of the Committee and the Board, and such designation does not affect the duties, obligations or liabilityliabilities of any other member of the Committee or the Board.


Compensation Committee

The Compensation Committee’s responsibilities include:

·

evaluating the performance of the Chief Executive Officer and other executive officers, including with respect to established goals and objectives, and making recommendations to the Board concerning all direct and indirect compensation, benefits and perquisites (cash and non-cash) for the executive officers based on such evaluation;

·

administering the incentive and equity plans of the Company, including recommending or approving equity grants;

·

reviewing the Company’s compensation policies and practices for all employees, at least annually, regarding risk-taking incentives and risk management policies and practices;

·

recommending or approving the non-employee director compensation program; and

·

reviewing compensation disclosures in the Company’s proxy statement and other reports filed with or furnished to the SEC.

The Board of Directors has also determined that Mr. Booth is an “audit committee financial expert,”the current members of the Compensation Committee qualify as such term is used“non-employee directors” as defined in Item 407Rule 16b-3 of Regulation S-K promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Mr. Booth’s experience that qualifies himamended (the “Exchange Act”), and “outside directors” under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as an audit committee financial expert includes his previous experience as the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Ford Motor Company.

Compensation Committeeamended (the “Code”).

The Company’s Compensation Committee is responsible for evaluatinghas the Chief Executive Officer’ssole authority to engage outside advisors and allestablish the terms of such engagement, including compensatory fees. In connection with any such engagement, the Committee reviews the independence of such outside advisor, based on the factors specified by Nasdaq as well as any other executive officers’ performance, includingfactors it deems appropriate, and any conflicts of interest raised by the work of such outside advisor.

The Compensation Committee may form and delegate its authority to subcommittees as appropriate.  The responsibilities and activities of the Committee are described further in “Compensation Discussion and Analysis,” as well as in its charter.

Role of Management.  Similar to prior years, in 2014 the Compensation Committee received significant input from management with respect to established goalsthe Company’s executive compensation program.  See “Compensation Discussion and objectives,Analysis” for further information.

Role of Compensation Consultant.  The Compensation Committee did not engage a compensation consultant to perform a comprehensive review with respect to the Company’s 2014 non-employee director or executive compensation programs.  However, for 2015, a comprehensive executive compensation review was completed and makingwill be used in determining 2015 compensation.

Nominating Committee

The Nominating Committee’s responsibilities include:

·

evaluating the current directors, as well as any candidates nominated or recommended by shareholders, and nominating directors for election; and

·

developing a pool of potential director candidates in the event of a vacancy on the Board.

The responsibilities and activities of the Committee are described in greater detail in its charter.

The Nominating Committee reviews and makes recommendations to the Board, from time to time, regarding the appropriate skills and characteristics required of Directors concerning all directBoard members in the context of the current make-up of the Board, the operations of the Company and indirect compensation, benefitsthe long-term interests of shareholders. See “Proposal No. 1—Election of Directors—Specific Qualifications, Attributes, Skills and perquisites (cashExperience to be Represented on the Board” and non-cash)“Proposal No. 1—Election of Directors—Director Background and Qualifications.” The Committee does not have a specific diversity policy underlying its nomination process, although it seeks to ensure the Board includes directors with diverse backgrounds, qualifications, skills and experience relevant to the Company’s business.

Generally, the Nominating Committee will re-nominate incumbent directors who continue to satisfy the Committee’s criteria for membership on the Board, continue to make important contributions to the Board and consent to continue their service on the Board. If a vacancy on the Board occurs or the Board increases in size, the Committee will actively seek individuals that satisfy the Committee’s criteria for membership on the Board and the Committee may rely on multiple sources for identifying and evaluating potential nominees, including referrals from our current directors and management. In 2014, the Committee did not employ a search firm or pay fees to other third parties in connection with identifying or evaluating Board nominee candidates.


The Nominating Committee will consider recommendations from shareholders of director candidates that are sent on a timely basis and otherwise in accordance with our Bylaws and other applicable law and regulations. The Committee will evaluate nominees recommended by shareholders against the same criteria that it uses to evaluate other potential nominees. We did not receive any recommendations for director nominations from shareholders for the executive officers based on such evaluation. The Company’s Compensationannual meeting.  See “–Shareholder Communication with the Board” and “Additional Information—Requirements for Submission of Shareholder Proposals and Nominations for 2016 Annual Meeting” for additional information.

Corporate Governance Committee is currently comprised of three Independent Directors, Ms. Desormière and Messrs. Gunderson and Mazzorin. The Compensation Committee held 4 meetings during 2012.

Subsequent to its formation in February 2015, the Corporate Governance Committee’s responsibilities include:

·

exercising general oversight over corporate governance policy matters of the Company, including developing, recommending proposed changes to, and monitoring compliance with, the Corporate Governance Guidelines;

·

reviewing and recommending appropriate changes to the Company’s charter documents and key governance policies on a periodic basis; and

·

reviewing certain governance disclosures and proposals in the Company’s proxy statement and other reports filed with or furnished to the SEC.

The compensation of the executive officers of our majority-owned subsidiary, W.E.T., is set by written agreement previously entered into by and between W.E.T. and such executive officers. The Compensation Committee has no influence on the compensation of such individuals. Furthermore, during 2012 as W.E.T. was operated as a separate entity from Gentherm, decisions concerning compensation of W.E.T.-employed executive officersforegoing matters were made by the W.E.T. Supervisory Board and nothandled by the Board in 2014.  See “—Corporate Governance” for further information.

The Corporate Governance Committee may form and delegate its authority to subcommittees as appropriate. The responsibilities and activities of Directorsthe Committee are described in greater detail in its charter.

Technology Committee

The Technology Committee evaluates and advises management with respect to the development and use of Gentherm.technology by the Company for use in its current and potential future products, including the long-term strategic goals of the Company’s research and development initiatives.  The Technology Committee also advises management on its policies and procedures surrounding cyber security.  The responsibilities and activities of the Committee are described in greater detail in its charter.

Corporate Governance

The Board, of Directors has adopted a written charteras well as management, is committed to responsible corporate governance to ensure that we are managed for the Compensation Committee, a currentbenefit of our shareholders. To that end, the Board and management periodically review and update, as appropriate, our corporate governance policies and practices, and, when required, make changes to such policies and practices as are mandated by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the Dodd-Frank Act, other SEC rules and regulations and the listing standards of Nasdaq.

A copy of which is available on the Company’s website at www.gentherm.com underBoard’s committee charters, the link “About Us”; a copy may alsoCode of Conduct and the Corporate Governance Guidelines will be obtained free ofsent to any shareholder, without charge, by deliveringupon written request to: Kenneth J. Phillips,to Corporate Secretary, of Gentherm Incorporated, 21680 Haggerty Road, Suite 101, Northville, MichiganMI 48167.

Corporate Governance Guidelines

The CompensationBoard has adopted Corporate Governance Guidelines, which are available on our website, www.gentherm.com, under the “About Us” tab.  These guidelines provide a structure within which our directors and management can effectively pursue the Company’s objectives for the benefit of our shareholders. The Corporate Governance Guidelines address, among other things, Board and committee structure, composition and procedures, director responsibilities, compensation and continuing education, as well as shareholder communications with the Board.


Majority Voting Policy.  Included in our Corporate Governance Guidelines is a policy approved by the Board in early-2014 to be followed if any nominee for director receives a greater number of votes “withheld” from his or her election than votes “for” such election.  In such event, the applicable director must promptly tender his or her resignation, conditioned on Board acceptance, following certification of the shareholder vote; provided, however, that this does not apply when the number of individuals nominated for election exceeds the number of directors to be elected, including as a result of a proxy contest, or if any shareholder exercises cumulative voting rights with respect to that particular election. The Nominating Committee will consider the resignation offer and, within 60 days following certification of the shareholder vote, recommend to the Board whether to accept such resignation. The Board will act on the Committee’s recommendation within 90 days following certification of the shareholder vote. The Board will promptly disclose in reasonable detail its decision and rationale regarding the acceptance or rejection of the resignation, as applicable, in a widely disseminated press release, in a filing with the SEC or by other widely disseminated public announcement.  If a director’s resignation is accepted by the Board, the Board may delegateeither fill the resulting vacancy or decrease the size of the Board pursuant to our Bylaws.

Annual Performance Evaluations.  The Corporate Governance Committee oversees the annual performance evaluation process.  The Board and its committees conduct self-evaluations at least annually to determine whether the Board and its committees are functioning effectively.  The Board also reviews the Corporate Governance Committee’s periodic recommendations concerning the performance and effectiveness of the Board and its committees.

Code of Conduct

The Board has adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (“Code of Conduct”), which sets out the basic principles to guide the actions and decisions of our employees, directors and officers, including our principal executive officer, principal financial officer and principal accounting officer. The Code of Conduct addresses, among other things, ethical principles, insider trading, conflicts of interest, compliance with laws and confidentiality. The Code of Conduct is available on our website, www.gentherm.com, under the “About Us” tab.  Any amendments to the Code of Conduct, or any waivers that are required to be disclosed by the rules of itseither the SEC or Nasdaq, will be posted on our website, www.gentherm.com, under the “About Us” tab within four business days of any such amendment or waiver.

Committee Charters

See “—Committees of the Board” for a description of the Board’s delegation of authority and responsibilities to subcommittees as the five standing committees.

Director Compensation

Non-employee directors of the Board receive both cash and equity compensation. Such compensation is intended to encourage non-employee directors to continue Board service, further align the interests of the Board and shareholders, and attract new non-employee directors with outstanding qualifications. Directors who are employees or officers of the Company do not receive any additional compensation for Board service.

2014 Compensation Committee deems appropriate. Program

The Committee has the authority to retain independent compensation consultants to assistprogram for non-employee directors in the evaluation of2014 did not change from 2013.  No compensation and has the sole authority to retain and terminate such firms and to approve their fees and other retention terms. The Compensation Committee also has authority to retain other advisors. Compensation consultants were retained by the Compensation Committee in January, 2012 for the purpose of supplying compensation survey data for use in setting 2012 base compensation, but not for the purpose of determining or recommending the amount or form of director compensation for 2014.

The following table sets forth the compensation program for non-employee directors in 2014.

($)

Annual cash retainer for Board service:

Chairman of the Board

75,000

Other non-employee directors

50,000

Annual cash retainers for Committee service:

Nominating Committee-chair

5,000

Nominating Committee-members

1,000

All other committees-chairs

10,000

All other committees-members

5,000

Annual equity retainer (fair market value)

50,000


Consistent with historical practice, the annual cash retainers were paid in advance of the 2014 annual meeting of shareholders.   Consistent with the terms of the Company’s 2013 Equity Incentive Plan, on the date of such meeting, each non-employee director received a restricted stock award having a fair market value of approximately $50,000, or 1,323 shares.

The restricted stock vests in full on the first anniversary of the grant date.  The restricted stock will be forfeited in the event of termination of service as a non-employee director of the Company prior to the first anniversary of the grant date, subject to acceleration of vesting upon retirement (as defined under the 2013 Equity Incentive Plan), and subject to the Compensation Committee’s right to accelerate the vesting of all or a portion of the restricted stock at any time. During the restricted period, the restricted stock entitles the participant to all of the rights of a shareholder, including the right to vote the shares and the right to receive any dividends thereon. Prior to the end of the restricted period, restricted stock generally may not be sold, assigned, pledged, or otherwise disposed of or hypothecated by participants.

The Company does not provide any perquisites to directors, but does reimburse directors for out-of-pocket expenses incurred in attending Board and committee meetings.

2014 Compensation Table

The table below sets forth the compensation of each non-employee director in 2014.

Name

 

Fees Earned

or

Paid in Cash

($)(1)

 

 

Restricted

Stock

($)(2)

 

 

Total

($)

 

Lewis Booth

 

 

61,000

 

 

 

50,000

 

 

 

111,000

 

Francois J. Castaing

 

 

61,000

 

 

 

50,000

 

 

 

111,000

 

Sophie Desormière

 

 

56,000

 

 

 

50,000

 

 

 

106,000

 

Maurice E.P. Gunderson

 

 

66,000

 

 

 

50,000

 

 

 

116,000

 

Oscar B. Marx, III

 

 

75,000

 

 

 

50,000

 

 

 

125,000

 

Carlos E. Mazzorin

 

 

56,000

 

 

 

50,000

 

 

 

106,000

 

Franz Scherer(3)

 

 

56,000

 

 

 

50,000

 

 

 

106,000

 

Byron T. Shaw II

 

 

61,000

 

 

 

50,000

 

 

 

111,000

 

Total

 

 

492,000

 

 

 

400,000

 

 

 

892,000

 

(1)

Reflects cash retainers for Board and committee service.

(2)

Reflects restricted stock awards granted under the 2013 Equity Incentive Plan. The amounts reported represent the grant date fair value of the restricted stock award, which is the closing trading price of a share of our common stock on the grant date multiplied by the number of shares subject to the award. The closing trading price of a share of our common stock on May 7, 2014 was $37.79 and the number of shares subject to each award on this table is 1,323.

(3)

Dr. Scherer also received €13,000, or $17,000, for his service on the Supervisory Board of our German Subsidiary, W.E.T. Automotive Systems AG, during 2014.  Dr. Scherer’s service on such Supervisory Board ended upon merger of that entity with Gentherm GmbH in 2014.

At December 31, 2014, each non-employee director had the following number of shares underlying unexercised stock option awards (all of which were fully vested at December 31, 2014) and unvested restricted stock awards, respectively:  Mr. Booth, 0 and 1,323; Mr. Castaing, 5,000 and 1,323; Ms. Desormière, 0 and 1,323; Mr. Gunderson, 50,000 and 1,323; Mr. Marx, 0 and 1,323; Mr. Mazzorin, 10,000 and 1,323; Dr. Scherer, 0 and 1,323; and Dr. Shaw, 0 and 1,323.

Director Stock Ownership Requirements

The Board has adopted stock ownership requirements for the directors of the Company to further the alignment of shareholders and directors.  Directors are required to own common stock having a value of at least $100,000, computed as of each regularly scheduled Board meeting, based on the average closing price of our common stock as of the last day of the then-most recently completed 12 full calendar months. For purposes of such calculation, the following shares are included: shares held by directors individually, shares held by their spouses or other family members residing in their same households, shares held in trust for their economic benefit or the economic benefit of their spouses or family members residing in their same households, and shares held in a retirement plan or deferred compensation plan for their benefit. The value of “in-the-money” vested stock options is also included, but the value of unvested stock options and unvested restricted stock is not.


The minimum ownership level must be achieved by the later of (A) December 31, 2015, for any director who held such position as of December 31, 2011, or (B) four years after such individual was first appointed or elected.  The Compensation Committee is responsible for reviewing any non-compliance with the stock ownership requirements and recommending to the Board any actions necessary to remedy such non-compliance.  As of the date hereof, all directors held common stock having a value in excess of $100,000.

Our Chief Executive Officer is subject to the same stock ownership requirements as our non-employee directors.  See “Compensation Discussion and Analysis – Other Equity-Related Policies – Executive Stock Ownership Requirements” for further information.

Shareholder Communication with the Board

Shareholders wishing to send communications directly to the Board or to a specific director are asked to send such communications to Corporate Secretary, Gentherm Incorporated, 21680 Haggerty Road, Suite 101, Northville, MI 48167.  Shareholders sending such communications should clearly mark them as intended for delivery to the Board or to a specific director.  Our corporate secretary has been instructed by the Board to screen each communication so received only for the limited purposes of ascertaining (A) whether such communication is indeed from a shareholder and (B) whether such communication relates to the Company.  Our corporate secretary will promptly forward copies of all such communications that pass such limited screening to each director, in the case of communications to the entire Board, or to the particular director addressee. Delivery by our corporate secretary will be completed by mail, facsimile or e-mail, as our corporate secretary determines appropriate.

If a shareholder’s communication to the Board involves or concerns our corporate secretary, or if a shareholder has another appropriate reason for communicating to the Board through a means other than through our corporate secretary, such shareholder is asked to send such communication to the attention of either the Company’s President or the Chairman of the Board, in either case at the address above.  Any such communication should clearly state that it is a shareholder communication and should clearly state the reason it was not delivered to our corporate secretary for further delivery to the Board.


COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

This section of the proxy statement explains our compensation philosophy, objectives and design, our compensation-setting process and our executive compensation program components, as well as the decisions made for 2014 with respect to each of our named executive officers.  This section also provides certain other information as additional context for the “Named Executive Officer Compensation Tables” that follow.

Our named executive officers for 2014 were Daniel R. Coker, President and no additional services, unrelatedChief Executive Officer; Barry G. Steele, Vice-President of Finance, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer; Frithjof R. Oldorff, President of the Automotive Business Unit; Thomas H. Liedl, former President of the Gentherm Technologies Business Unit; Darren Schumacher, Vice-President of Product Development; and Kenneth J. Phillips, Vice-President, General Counsel and Secretary (collectively, the “named executive officers” or the “NEOs”).  Messrs. Coker, Steele, Schumacher and Phillips are referred to as our “U.S. NEOs.”  During 2014, Mr. Oldorff and Mr. Liedl were compensated by Gentherm GmbH (successor by merger to W.E.T. Automotive Systems AG) (our “German Subsidiary”) and are referred to as our “non-U.S. NEOs.”  Mr. Liedl separated from the Company effective August 31, 2014.  In 2014 the Company and its German Subsidiary were operated as essentially one company, so the compensation arrangements of the non-U.S. NEOs were substantially similar to those of the U.S. NEOs, except as noted below.  Key differences between such arrangements are explained in greater detail throughout this section of the proxy statement, as well as in the “Named Executive Officer Compensation Tables” that follow:

·

Employment Agreements. In 2014, the non-U.S. NEOs were parties to written service agreements with our German Subsidiary (“Service Agreements”), which set forth the material terms of their respective compensation.  See “Named Executive Officer Compensation Tables– Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control – Service Agreements” for a description of such arrangements.  The U.S. NEOs do not have employment agreements.

·

Equity Compensation. Consistent with prior years, in 2014, the non-U.S. NEOs received equity compensation in the form of cash-settled stock appreciation rights (or “SARs”), whereas the U.S. NEOs received equity compensation in the form of restricted stock and stock options.  See “– 2014 Compensation Determinations – Equity Awards” for further information.

·

Other Benefits and Perquisites. The non-U.S. NEOs were not eligible to participate in the Company’s 401(k) plan, but their respective Service Agreements provided for optional participation in a defined benefit pension plan, payment of statutorily required pension and health insurances, as well as payment of life insurance premiums in 2014.  The U.S. NEOs were eligible to participate in the Company’s 401(k) plan on the same basis as the Company’s other U.S. employees.  See “– 2014 Compensation Determinations – Other Benefits and Perquisites” for a description  of the other benefits and perquisites of the named executive officers for 2014.

Executive Compensation and Governance Practices

What We Do

What We Prohibit

·

100% independent committee members (page 8)

·

Hedging and use of derivatives (page 23)

·

No special grants or timing based on the release of material, non-public information (page 23)

·

Guaranteed bonuses or equity grants

·

Maintain equity plan without an evergreen provision

·

Extensive perquisites (page 22)

·

Maintain alignment with shareholders, as equity awards represent a significant portion of NEO compensation (pages 20, 28)

·

Repricing/replacement of underwater stock options and SARs

·

Compensation Committee oversight to confirm no undue risk in compensation programs (page 11)

·

Golden parachute change-in-control payments (other than vesting and exercisability of equity awards in accordance with the terms of our equity compensation plans) (page 32)

·

Discourage pledging and require consent (page 23)

·

Annual say-on-pay shareholder vote (pages 17, 40)


Say-On-Pay Vote at 2014 Annual Meeting of Shareholders

The Company’s say-on-pay proposal was approved by approximately 94% of the votes cast at the 2014 annual meeting. Given the high level of shareholder support, the Committee did not revise the Company’s compensation policies and decisions relating to the purposenamed executive officers directly as a result of such consultation, were provided by any such consultantsvote.  The Committee will continue to consider the outcome of shareholder votes and other shareholder feedback in making future compensation decisions for the named executive officers.

Compensation Philosophy, Program Objectives, and Key Features

The compensation program for named executive officers is designed to attract, motivate and retain qualified executives and to provide them incentives to achieve or advisorsexceed the Company’s annual operational and financial goals and increase long-term shareholder value.  Under this program, our named executive officers are rewarded for their service to the Company, during 2012.the achievement of performance goals and the realization of increased shareholder value. We believe our NEO compensation program is structured appropriately to support our business objectives, as well as our culture. The Committee regularly reviews the Company’s NEO compensation program to ensure the fulfillment of our compensation philosophy and goals.


The following table sets forth the primary purpose and key features of each component of our NEO compensation program in 2014.

Proposals regarding

Component

Primary Purpose(s) 

Key Features 

Base Salary

·

Retains and attracts employees in a competitive market

·

Initial base salaries of U.S. NEOs negotiated in connection with hiring

·

Preserves an employee’s commitment during downturns in our industry and/or equity markets generally

·

Initial base salaries of non-U.S. NEOs set forth in Service Agreements

·

Based on experience, responsibilities, anticipated individual growth and other subjective factors

·

Subject to annual review and increase

Bonus

·

Motivates and rewards achievement of individual performance and Company financial and operational goals

·

Bonus plan provides for a cash bonus up to a predetermined amount, as a percentage of base salary; bonus potential tied to base salary adjustments

·

Retains and attracts employees for short term

·

Earned bonus is based on the Committee’s subjective evaluation of individual performance and conditioned on the satisfaction of applicable threshold Company financial metrics

Equity Awards

·

Provide incentives to increase long-term shareholder value

·

Consist of restricted stock and stock options, in the case of U.S. NEOs

·

Retain and attract employees for long term due to vesting requirements

·

Consist of cash-settled SARs, in the case of non-U.S. NEOs

·

Based on the executive’s position, current salary, and competitiveness in the market

·

Exercise/ base price of option awards fixed at fair market value of our common stock on the grant date

·

Generally vest pro rata over 3-4 years from the grant date

Defined Benefit Plans

·

Maintains stability and competency at the executive level

·

U.S. Defined Benefit Plan (for Mr. Coker only) vests over a six-year period, beginning April 1, 2011; once fully vested, the plan provides for 15 annual benefit payments to Mr. Coker

·

German Defined Benefit Plan is funded, in significant part, by participants’ contributions; current and former members of Gentherm GmbH management are eligible to participate

Other Benefits and Perquisites

·

Retain and attract employees in a competitive market

·

Vacation pay

·

Eligibility for participation in 401(k) plan, in the case of U.S. NEOs

·

Payment of statutorily required pension and health insurances and life insurance premiums, in the case of non-U.S. NEOs

·

Use of company-owned vehicles

·

Club memberships, in the case of Mr. Coker


Process for Making Compensation Determinations

Advisors Utilized in Determination of Executive Compensation

Management.    In determining the compensation of executive officers, the Committee receives significant input from Mr. Coker, who has more than 10 years’ experience in his executive officer role with the Company and Board directors (including recommending bonus formulashas the most involvement in, and plans,knowledge of, the Company’s business goals, strategies and performance, measures,the overall effectiveness of the management team and each person’s individual contribution to the Company’s performance. For each named executive officer, Mr. Coker makes a compensation and award levels, and payout amounts) are generally made by management after reviewrecommendation, which is reviewed by the Chairman of the Board.Board before it is presented to the Committee.  Mr. Coker does not provide input with respect to his own compensation.  Management also provides the Committee with information regarding the individual’s experience, current performance, potential for advancement and other subjective factors. The Company’s Vice PresidentCommittee retains the discretion to modify the recommendations of Human Resources generally prepares materialsMr. Coker and agendasreviews such recommendations for Compensationtheir reasonableness based on individual and Company performance as well as market information.

The Committee works with management to set the agenda for Committee meetings, attends the meetings and keeps the minutes of the meetings, butMr. Coker is excused from the meetings when his presence is deemed inappropriate by the Compensation Committee. The Chief Executive Officer is also invited regularly to attend such meetings. The Committee meetings but isalso meets regularly in executive session to discuss compensation issues generally outside the presence of management, as well as to review the performance and determine the compensation of Mr. Coker.

Third-Party Consultants. The Committee did not present during voting or deliberations regarding his compensation.engage a compensation consultant to perform a comprehensive executive compensation review with respect to the Company’s 2014 executive compensation program.

Comparability

In evaluating proposalsmanagement’s recommendations regarding the compensation of executive officers, the Compensation Committee relies primarilyconsiders the compensation offered by other similarly-situated companies, based on its members’ review of information from various publications, and hired consultants, theirits extensive experience with compensation practices in other businesses, information included in proxy statements of similar companies with comparable market capitalization and comparable revenues, its engagement of compensation consultants in prior years, and its members’ subjective review of the reasonableness and fairness of proposed compensation in light of all relevant circumstances.

Compensation  The companies which the Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

No memberconsiders to be comparable for purposes of the above analysis (based on revenue, market capitalization and industry), and for which the Committee has been provided data, include: American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc., CTS Corporation, Dorman Products, Inc., Drew Industries Incorporated, Gentex Corp., Leggett & Platt, Inc., Littlefuse, Inc., Measurement Specialties, Inc., Methode Electronics, Inc., Modine Manufacturing Company, Remy International, Inc., Shiloh Industries, Inc., Standard Motor Products, Inc. and Stoneridge, Inc.

2014 Compensation Committee is or was a former or currentDeterminations

Base Salary

In 2014, each named executive officer or employeereceived an annual base salary paid in cash.  The initial base salaries of the Company or any of its subsidiaries. No memberU.S. NEOs were negotiated in connection with their hiring, and the initial base salaries of the Compensationnon-U.S. NEOs were set forth in their respective Service Agreements.

The Committee has or had any relationship requiring disclosure by us pursuant to Securities and Exchange Commission rules regarding disclosure of related party transactions. In addition, during 2012, nonereviews the base salaries of the Company’snamed executive officers served on an annual basis and generally grants salary increases following such reviews.  Historically, base salary increases have been between 3-6% and represented a combination of a cost of living / inflation adjustment and a merit raise.

Consistent with prior years, in determining base salaries for 2014, the boardCommittee considered an individual’s performance, position, experience and current salary, as well as the Company’s financial resources, the salaries of directors or compensation committee (or committee performing equivalent functions) of any other company that had one or more executive officers serving on the Board or Compensation Committee.

Code of Ethics

The Board of Directors has adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics applicable to all directors, officers and employees of the Company, includingand the base salaries paid by similarly-situated companies to individuals having similar job responsibilities as further discussed under “–Process for Making Compensation Determinations – Comparability.”  In determining Mr. Coker’s base salary for 2014, the Committee also considered his demonstration of leadership and ability to manage the Company’s principalgrowing business.

For 2014, the Committee concluded that a market rate adjustment in base salaries for the named executive officers of 3% to 6% was appropriate based on a review of the factors described above.


Bonus

Prior Bonus Plan.  In prior years, the U.S. NEOs participated in a bonus plan (the “Prior Bonus Plan”), pursuant to which eligible employees earned cash bonuses up to pre-determined amounts (as percentages of their respective base salaries), based on the Committee’s evaluation of individual performance against individual performance goals approved by the Committee, together with management, in advance of the applicable performance period.  The goals are aligned with overall Company objectives and were broad-ranging, depended on the individual’s position, and included items such as eliminating or reducing specific expenses, completing engineering objectives, developing new business, streamlining operations, completing other specific projects and other similar types of goals. The performance goals were intended to be subjective, or have overriding subjective elements to them, and the Committee had full discretion to determine whether the performance goals had been met.

In addition, in prior years, the non-U.S. NEOs had a separate bonus plan that provided for annual bonuses in amounts dependent on the achievement of the target enterprise value of our German Subsidiary (the “W.E.T. Bonus Plan”).  For further information regarding the W.E.T. Bonus Plan, see “Named Executive Officer Compensation Tables – Summary Compensation Table for 2014 – Narrative Discussion of Summary Compensation Table.”

2014 Bonus Plan.  Following the February 2013 actions that enabled us to operate the Company and its German Subsidiary essentially as one company, the Committee undertook a detailed review of the Prior Bonus Plan.  Following such review, the Committee adopted the 2014 bonus plan (the “2014 Bonus Plan”).  The 2014 Bonus Plan is similar to the Prior Bonus Plan, except that bonus payouts are conditioned on the satisfaction of minimum threshold Company financial metrics (the “Minimum Metrics”).  Regardless of the Committee’s subjective evaluation of individual performance, if the Minimum Metrics are not met no bonuses are payable under the 2014 Bonus Plan.  In addition, in 2014 the non-U.S. NEOs participated in the 2014 Bonus Plan on the same basis as the U.S. NEOs for the first time.  For 2014, the Committee used the Company’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, deferred financing cost amortization, transaction expenses, debt retirement expenses, unrealized currency gain or loss and unrealized revaluation of derivatives (“Adjusted EBITDA”) as the sole Minimum Metric and set such metric at $84 million (Adjusted EBITDA for 2013 was $81.5 million).  The Committee considers Adjusted EBITDA as an appropriate measure of the Company’s overall operational performance.

The 2014 Bonus Plan also provides that if certain Company financial metrics are exceeded for the full calendar year (the “Stretch Metrics”), then the total amount of discretionary bonus earned by each participant for the year will be increased ratably by an amount determined by the Committee, up to 20% (the “Formula Performance Adjustment”).  For 2014, the Committee used Adjusted EBITDA as the sole Stretch Metric and set such metric at $126 million.  Actual Adjusted EBITDA for 2014 was $131.4 million.  For each reporting period in 2014, the Committee determined that each named executive officer principal financial officer, principal accounting officerachieved most or controller,all of his performance goals and, in several cases, substantially surpassed expectations.  For the calendar year 2014, the Committee approved a Formula Performance Adjustment of 20% for all employees of the Company eligible to receive a bonus, including each named executive officer.

Similar to the Prior Bonus Plan, the 2014 Bonus Plan was divided into two distinct performance periods, the first half of the year (January 1st through June 30th), and the second half of the year (July 1st through December 31st); however, the Company must be on track (based on estimated projections for the full year) to meet the full year Minimum Metrics for the first half bonus to be paid, and the Formula Performance Adjustment is only computed after the end of the full calendar year and any related adjustment paid with the bonus for the second half of the year.  The achievement or persons performing similar functions. Such code mayfailure to achieve the applicable individual criteria for the first performance period did not impact the achievement or failure to achieve the applicable individual criteria for the second performance period.  If earned, bonuses are paid within two months of the end of the applicable performance period.

Unless an exception is granted by the Committee, a participant must be viewedemployed on the Company’s website, www.Gentherm.combonus payment date to be eligible to receive a bonus under the link “About Us”; a copy may also be obtained free of charge by delivering written request to: Kenneth J. Phillips, Secretary of Gentherm Incorporated, 21680 Haggerty Road, Suite 101, Northville, Michigan 48167.

We intend to satisfy the disclosure requirement under Item 5.05 of Form 8-K regarding any amendment to, or a waiver from, a provision in our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that applies to our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions and that relates to any element2014 Bonus Plan.  Mr. Liedl was an employee as of the code definition enumerated in SEC, Regulation S-K, Item 406(b) by posting such information on our website at www.Gentherm.com within four business days followingdate the first half 2014 bonus payment was made, but had separated from the Company prior to the date of the amendmentsecond half 2014 bonus payment and no exception was granted.

The Committee does not have a formal written policy regarding adjustment of bonus payments if the relevant performance measures or waiver.underlying facts upon which they are based are restated or otherwise adjusted in a manner that would materially increase or reduce the size of the incentive payment.


Equity Awards

Certain Transactions

Review, Approval or RatificationEquity awards in the form of Transactions with Related Persons

Our Boardrestricted stock, stock options and cash-settled SARs represented a significant portion of Directors has adopted, by written board resolution, a policy with respectNEO compensation in 2014, as the Committee continues to proposed related party transactions.regard increasing long-term shareholder value as senior management’s primary objective.  In general, it is Gentherm’s policy to submit all proposed related party transactions (those that may require disclosure under Regulation S-K, Item 404)February 2014, the Committee granted equity awards to the Independent Directors for approval. Only those related party transactions approvednamed executive officers pursuant to the 2013 Equity Incentive Plan.  Consistent with prior years, the size of the awards depended on the executive’s position and current salary, as well as management’s recommendations, competitiveness in the market, and other subjective factors deemed relevant by the Independent Directors will be consummated.Committee. The policy instructsCommittee fixed the Independent Directorsexercise price of stock options and the base price of cash-settled SARs at the fair market value of the underlying shares on the grant date, such that grantees only to approve those transactions that are on terms comparable to, or more beneficial to us than, those that could be obtained in arm’s length dealings with an unrelated third party. If an Independent Director has any interest in a related party transaction presentedbenefit to the Independent Directors for approval, such director is required to abstain fromextent the vote to approve or not approve the transaction. Examples of related party transactions covered by our policy are transactions in which any of the following individuals has or will have a direct or indirect material interest: any of our directors or executive officers, any person who is known to us to be the beneficial owner of more than five percentprice of our common stock increases over time.

U.S. NEOs. The U.S. NEOs received restricted stock and any immediate family memberstock options in 2014.  The Committee believes restricted stock aligns interests with shareholders in a manner similar to stock options and cash-settled SARs, as described above, but also has underlying value on the grant date that might otherwise be paid in cash as an additional bonus.

In 2014, the restricted stock awards granted vest in three equal annual installments and the stock option awards granted vest in four equal annual installments, in each case commencing on the first anniversary of onethe date of grant.  See “Named Executive Officer Compensation Tables – Grants of Plan-Based Awards in 2014” for further information.

Non-U.S. NEOs. In 2014, the non-U.S. NEOs received cash-settled SARs in lieu of stock options, and received no full-value shares such as restricted stock or phantom stock, due in part to complex and disadvantageous tax and securities law implications of stock-settled awards for employees of a foreign subsidiary.  The Committee believes cash-settled SARs offer economic benefits, incentivize retention and align interests with shareholders, in a manner comparable to stock-settled awards, such as restricted stock and stock options, because they provide no realizable value in the absence of stock price appreciation after the grant date.

In 2014, cash-settled SARs granted vest in four equal annual installments commencing on the first anniversary of the date of grant.  See “Named Executive Officer Compensation Tables – Grants of Plan-Based Awards in 2014” for further information.

Defined Benefit Plans

U.S. NEOs

During 2008, in recognition of the Company’s need for stability and competence at the executive level, the Committee recommended, and the independent directors at such time subsequently approved, The Executive Nonqualified Defined Benefit Plan of Gentherm Incorporated effective April 1, 2008 (the “U.S. Defined Benefit Plan”).  Mr. Coker has been the only participant in the U.S. Defined Benefit Plan.

The U.S. Defined Benefit Plan, more fully described in Note 12 to the audited financial statements included in our directors orannual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, has a six-year vesting period that began on April 1, 2011.  Once fully vested, the U.S. Defined Benefit Plan provides for 15 annual benefit payments to Mr. Coker, each in the amount of $300,000, beginning January 1, 2018.  The Committee has reviewed the benefits offered to presidents and chief executive officers or person knownof similarly situated companies, and continues to usbelieve that the U.S. Defined Benefit Plan is fair and reasonable.

The Company has also established a corporate-owned life insurance policy (“COLI”) on the life of Mr. Marx, Chairman of the Board.  The COLI is held by a trust established for payment of benefits under the U.S. Defined Benefit Plan.

Non U.S. NEOs

Our German Subsidiary maintains a defined benefit plan for former and current members of its management team (the “German Defined Benefit Plan”).  The German Defined Benefit Plan is expected to be funded exclusively by participants’ pre-tax contributions and the earnings on those contributions.  However, the amount of future benefits to which a participant is entitled, while based on the amount of such participant’s contributions to the plan, is subject to minimum future guaranteed returns on those contributions.  As a result, the German Subsidiary records a liability for the amount that projected future benefit payments exceed projected future defined benefit plan assets.  For the year ended December 31, 2014, both Mr. Liedl and Mr. Oldorff both participated in the German Defined Benefit Plan; however, as required by the plan all of the voluntary contributions they made came from their personal funds; furthermore, the projected future benefits on such contributions did not exceed the related projected future assets and so no service cost was recognized.  Mr. Oldorff is expected to be the beneficial owneronly NEO participant in the German Defined Benefit Plan in future years.  Mr. Liedl, as well as other former members of morethe Gentherm Subsidiary’s management, will continue to be eligible to receive benefits under the German Defined Benefit Plan but are no longer permitted to make additional contributions.

The German Defined Benefit Plan is further described in Note 12 to the audited financial statements included in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014.


Other Benefits and Perquisites

U.S. NEOs

·

401(k) Plan.  The Company maintains a 401(k) plan to provide all eligible U.S. employees with a means to accumulate retirement savings on a tax-advantaged basis.  The U.S. NEOs are eligible to participate in the 401(k) plan on the same basis as the other participants.  For 2014, on a discretionary basis, the Company matched (1) 100% of an employee’s contributions up to a contribution equal to 3% of the employee’s compensation and (2) 50% of an employee’s contributions above 3% of the employee’s compensation, up to a total contribution no greater than 4% of the employee’s compensation, provided that in 2014, the total Company match in each case was capped at $10,400.  The Company may, but is not required to, make additional discretionary contributions.  The Company has not made any discretionary contribution to the 401(k) plan since its inception.

·

Vacation Pay.  Upon specified events, U.S. employees, including the U.S. NEOs, receive lump-sum payments for accumulated vacation time in excess of specified amounts.

·

Other Perquisites.  The Company provides each U.S. NEO with the use of a company-owned automobile.  The Company believes it is important that our named executive officers thoroughly understand our products and present themselves to others as users of our products.  The automotive segment represents our largest product segment.  The Company also provides club memberships to Mr. Coker, which facilitates entertainment of current and potential customers and suppliers and other business associates, and are also used for meeting locations.  We allocate the costs of these perquisites between business and personal use and report the personal-use portion as compensation to the applicable named executive officers.

Non-U.S. NEOs

·

Defined Contribution Plan.  In 2014, the Company contributed specified amounts to defined contribution plans of the non-U.S. NEOs in accordance with their respective Service Agreements, which required payment of statutorily required pension and health insurances and life insurance premiums (the “German Defined Contribution Plan”).  These contributions reduced the base salaries that would otherwise have been payable to the non-U.S. NEOs.

·

Vacation Pay.  The non-U.S. NEOs received annual vacation pay pursuant to their respective Service Agreements.

·

Other Perquisites.  In accordance with the terms of their respective Service Agreements and for the reasons stated above with respect to the U.S. NEOs, in 2014 the Company provided the non-U.S. NEOs with the use of company-owned vehicles.

Severance and Change in Control Benefits

U.S. NEOs. Other than five percentthe U.S. Defined Benefit Plan and the 401(k) plan described above, the Company does not provide or maintain any post-retirement medical benefits, non-qualified deferred compensation plans or retirement or pension plans for U.S. employees, including the U.S. NEOs.  However, certain of the Company’s equity compensation plans contemplate acceleration of vesting upon, and exercisability of awards following, a termination of employment.  See “Named Executive Officer Compensation Tables – Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control” for further information.

Non-U.S. NEOs. Other than the German Defined Benefit Plan and the German Defined Contribution Plan described above, the non-U.S. NEOs were not eligible to receive or participate in any post-retirement medical benefits, non-qualified deferred compensation plans or retirement or pension plans.  See “Named Executive Officer Compensation Tables – Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control” for information regarding the potential payments and benefits payable to Mr. Oldorff following a termination of employment under the terms of his Service Agreement and certain of the Company’s equity compensation plans, as well as information regarding the payments and benefits paid to Mr. Liedl following his separation from the Company in 2014.

Other Equity-Related Policies

Executive Stock Ownership Requirements

Our Chief Executive Officer is subject to the same stock ownership requirements as our non-employee directors.  Our Chief Executive Officer must own common stock having a value of at least $100,000 by December 31, 2015.  See “Board Matters – Director Compensation – Director Stock Ownership Requirements” for further information.  The other named executive officers are not subject to stock ownership requirements.


Timing and Pricing of Equity Grants

The Committee does not coordinate the timing of equity grants with the release of material non-public information. The Committee usually considers equity awards for executive officers on an annual basis at regularly scheduled meetings of the Committee, which are generally scheduled a year in advance, and for new hires as applicable.

In accordance with the 2013 Equity Incentive Plan, the exercise or base price of stock option or SAR awards is at least 100% of the fair market value of our common stock. Transactionsstock on the date of grant (which date is not earlier than the date the Committee approves such award).  The Committee is authorized to modify, extend or renew outstanding stock options or SARs or accept the cancellation or surrender of such awards.  However, except in connection with a corporate transaction involving the Company (including, without limitation, any stock dividend, stock split, extraordinary cash dividend, recapitalization, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, or exchange of shares), the Committee may not take actions that involvewould constitute a repricing of stock options or SARs without satisfying the applicable shareholder approval requirements of Nasdaq.  In particular, the 2013 Equity Incentive Plan prohibits direct repricings (lowering the exercise price of a stock option or the base price of a SAR) and indirect repricings (cancelling an outstanding stock option or SAR and granting a replacement or substitute stock option or SAR with a lower exercise or base price, or otherwise exchanging such awards for cash, stock options, SARs or other awards).

Policy on Pledging and Hedging Company Securities

In addition to the restrictions set forth in SEC regulations, the Board has adopted a Statement of Policy for Securities Trading by Company Personnel which prohibits the hedging of Company securities and significantly limits any salariedpledging of Company securities.  In particular, the policy prohibits employees, generallyofficers and directors from making trades while in possession of material, non-public information.  Specified restricted persons, including our officers and directors, are not coveredalso prohibited from trading on a short-term basis of less than six months, short sales and derivative trading generally.  In addition, the policy prohibits pledging of Company securities or holding Company securities in a margin account, except in situations and on conditions pre-approved by our approval policy. Our policy also requires that all related party transactions be disclosed in our filings withChief Financial Officer.  At a minimum, such person must demonstrate the SECfinancial capacity to repay the applicable loan without resort to the extent requiredmargin or pledged securities.  No Company securities beneficially owned by a director or executive officer were pledged or subject to a margin account at any time during 2014.

Tax and Accounting Implications

Deductibility of Executive Compensation

Section 162(m) of the Code provides that annual compensation in excess of $1 million paid to a company’s chief executive officer and the three other highest compensated executive officers (excluding the chief financial officer) is not deductible by the SEC’s rules, and that they be disclosedcompany for federal income tax purposes, subject to specified exemptions (the most significant of which is certain performance-based compensation).  The Committee intends to continue to review the full Boardapplication of Directors.

TransactionsSection 162(m) of the Code with Related Persons During 2012

During 2009, the following transaction was specifically approvedrespect to any future compensation arrangements considered by the Independent Directors pursuantCompany. However, to maintain flexibility in compensating the above-described related party transaction approval policy but was exempt from disclosure under Regulation S-K, Item 404 because it did notCompany’s executive officers to meet a variety of objectives, the dollar threshold set forth therein: Director Oscar B. Marx’s son, John Marx, was hired as an employeeCommittee reserves the right to compensate Company executes in amounts deemed appropriate, regardless of whether such compensation is deductible for federal income tax purposes.  Section 162(m) of the Code may prevent the Company infrom deducting a sales position. The Independent Directors, excluding Oscar B. Marx, reviewed and approved the engagementportion of John Marx and the promotion of John Marx during 2012 to Vice President of Business Planning and Advanced Product Commercialization. The Independent Directors have also reviewed and approved the compensation paid to John Marx each calendar year since 2009. In 2012, totalMr. Coker, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, in 2014.

Nonqualified Deferred Compensation

Section 409A of the Code provides that amounts deferred under nonqualified deferred compensation paidarrangements will be included in an employee’s income when vested, as well as be subject to John Marx was approximately $340,000penalties and interest, unless certain requirements are complied with. The  Company believes that its compensation arrangements satisfy, or are exempt from, the requirements of Section 409A.

Change in cash compensation and 17,500 sharesControl Payments

Section 280G of restricted stock awards.the Code disallows a company’s tax deduction for “excess parachute payments.” For this purpose, parachute payments generally are defined as payments to specified persons that are contingent upon a change in control in an amount equal to or greater than three times the person’s base amount (i.e. the five-year average Form W-2 compensation). The employment arrangement with John Marx is hereby disclosed asexcess parachute payments, which are nondeductible, equal the amount of the parachute payments less the base amount. Additionally, Section 4999 of the Code imposes a transaction20% excise tax on any person who receives excess parachute payments.

The Company’s equity incentive plans may entitle participants to receive payments in connection with a relatedchange in control that may result in excess parachute payments.  The Company does not pay tax gross-ups, including with respect to the excise tax imposed on any person under Regulation S-K, Item 404.who receives excess parachute payments.


There were no other transactions with related persons during 2012.

COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT

Report of the Compensation Committee on Executive Compensation

OurThe Compensation Committee has reviewed and discussed the Compensation Discussion and Analysis set forth below under the caption “Executive Compensation – Compensation Discussion(CD&A) in this proxy statement with management, including Messrs. Coker and Analysis” with our management.Steele. Based on thissuch review and discussion, our Compensationthe Committee recommended to ourthe Board of Directors that the Compensation Discussion and AnalysisCD&A be included in this Proxy Statement.the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 and the proxy statement for the 2015 annual meeting.

By theThe Compensation Committee

Maurice Gunderson, Chairman

Sophie Desormière

Carlos Mazzorin

COMPENSATION COMMITTEE INTERLOCKS AND INSIDER PARTICIPATION

AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT

The AuditDuring 2014, the Compensation Committee has reviewed,consisted of Messrs. Gunderson and discussed with management our financial statements as of December 31, 2011Mazzorin and 2012 and for eachMs. Desormière.  All members of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2012. The Audit Committee during 2014 were independent directors and none of them is or has discussed with the Company’s independent accountants, Grant Thornton LLP, the above-described financial statements. In addition, we have discussed with Grant Thornton LLP the matters required to be discussed by Statement on Auditing Standards No. 61 (Codificationbeen an employee or officer of Statements on Auditing Standards), as amended and as adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board in Rule 3200T.

The Audit Committee also has received and reviewed the written disclosures and the letter from Grant Thornton LLP required by Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1 (Independence Discussions with Audit Committees), as adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board in Rule 3600T and we have discussed with that firm its independence. We have considered whether the provision of permissible non-audit services is compatible with maintaining the accountant’s independence. We also have discussed with management and the auditing firm such other matters and received such assurances from them as we deemed appropriate.

Management is responsible for internal controls and the financial reporting process. The independent accountants engaged by the Company are responsible for performing an independent auditours. During 2014, none of our financial statements in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and issuing a report thereon. The Audit Committee’s responsibility is to monitor and oversee these processes.

Basedexecutive officers served on the foregoing review and discussions and a reviewcompensation committee (or equivalent) or the board of directors of another entity whose executive officer(s) served on the reports of Grant Thornton LLP with respect toCommittee or the audited financial statements, and relying thereon, we have recommended to the Board of Directors the inclusion of the audited financial statements in the Annual Report on Form 10-KBoard.


NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICER COMPENSATION TABLES

Summary Compensation Table for the year ended December 31, 2012 for filing with the SEC.

By the Audit Committee

John Devine, Chairman*

Lewis Booth

Francois Castaing

James Donlon*

*Mr. Devine and Mr. Donlon are current members of the Board of Directors but are not standing for re-election at the 2013 Annual Meeting. If elected, Mr. Scherer will join the Audit Committee following the Annual Meeting.

SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

Beneficial Ownership of Significant Shareholders2014

The table below sets forth certain information regardingsummarizes the beneficial ownership of the Company’s Common Stock as of April 1, 2013 (except that, as noted below, certain information is based on Schedule 13G reports filedtotal compensation paid or earned by the beneficial owner as of a date prior to such date) by each person known to us to be a beneficial owner of more than 5% of the outstanding Common Stock. Beneficial ownership includes any shares which a person has the right to acquire within 60 days after the date of calculation, including shares that may be purchased by the exercise of stock options or the exercise of warrants to purchase stock. The “percent of class” calculation for each person is based on this inclusive definition of beneficial ownership. Except as expressly noted, each person listed has sole voting powernamed executive officers in 2014, 2013 and investment power with respect to all shares of capital stock listed as beneficially owned by such person.2012.

 

   Common Stock 

Beneficial Owner

  Amount and
Nature of
Beneficial
Ownership
  Percent
of Class(b)
 

Deutsche Balaton AG

   3,301,500(a)   9.88

Ziegelhäuser 1 Landstraß

   

69120 Heidelberg Germany

   

Name and Principal Position

 

Year

 

Salary
($)

 

Bonus
($)(1)

 

Stock
Awards
($)(2)

 

Option
Awards
($)(3)

 

Change in
Pension Value
and
Nonqualified
Deferred
Compensation
Earnings
($)(4)

 

All Other
Compensation
($)(5)

 

Total
($)

Daniel R. Coker

 

2014

 

565,000

 

1,017,060

 

471,060

 

552,800

 

335,550

 

61,145

 

3,002,615

President and Chief Executive

 

2013

 

530,400

 

550,000

 

573,000

 

366,560

 

355,000

 

38,746

 

2,413,706

Officer

 

2012

 

510,000

 

470,000

 

285,750

 

 

317,000

 

56,328

 

1,639,078

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barry G. Steele

 

2014

 

274,000

 

214,560

 

314,040

 

276,400

 

 

24,428

 

1,103,428

Vice-President of Finance, Chief

 

2013

 

266,260

 

175,000

 

343,800

 

183,280

 

 

21,744

 

990,084

Financial Officer and Treasurer

 

2012

 

257,252

 

150,000

 

222,250

 

 

 

25,732

 

655,234

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frithjof R. Oldorff(6)

 

2014

 

465,114

 

345,879

 

 

276,400

 

 

52,128

 

1,139,521

President of Automotive Business

 

2013

 

442,370

 

639,195

 

 

366,560

 

 

23,024

 

1,471,149

Unit

 

2012

 

382,135

 

540,151

 

 

 

 

15,775

 

938,061

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thomas H. Liedl(6)

 

2014

 

315,166

 

104,690

 

 

276,400

 

 

560,072

 

1,256,328

Former President of Gentherm

 

2013

 

398,406

 

572,785

 

 

274,920

 

 

16,120

 

1,262,231

Technologies Business Unit

 

2012

 

369,095

 

540,152

 

 

 

 

22,294

 

931,541

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Darren Schumacher

 

2014

 

310,000

 

265,080

 

314,040

 

276,400

 

 

17,329

 

1,182,849

Vice‑President of Product Development

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kenneth J. Phillips

 

2014

 

295,000

 

221,880

 

314,040

 

276,400

 

 

20,906

 

1,128,226

Vice-President, General Counsel and Secretary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(a)

(1)

Based on a Schedule 13G filed on

Amounts reported for 2014 reflect bonuses earned in 2014 under the 2014 Bonus Plan.  The bonus for the first six months of 2014 was paid in August 2014 and the bonus for the remainder of 2014 was paid in February or March 4, 2013, VV Beteiligungen Aktiengesellschaft (“VVB”) owns a majority interest2015.

(2)

Amounts reported reflect the aggregate grant-date fair value of stock awards.  All awards in Deutsche Balaton AG (“DB”). Delphi Unternehmensberatung Aktiengesellschaft (“DU”) owns a majority interest in VVB. Wilhelm Konrad Thomas Zours, an individual, owns a majority interest in DU. Wilhelm Konrad Thomas Zours is the sole member of the board of management of VVB and DU. ABC Beteiligungen Aktiengesellschaft (“ABC”) owns a majority interest in HB. Of the 3,301,500 shares reported in the table above, 3,300,500 shares are held directly by DB and 1,000 shares are held by an indirect, majority-owned subsidiary of DB, Heidelberger Beteiligungsholding Aktiengesellschaft (“HB”). Each of VVB, DU Wilhelm Konrad Thomas Zours HB and ABC may be deemedthis column for 2014 relate to have beneficial ownership with respect to all shares held by DB and have disclaimed beneficial ownership of such shares. DB and ABC may be deemed to have beneficial ownership with respectrestricted stock awards granted to the shares held by HB and has disclaimed beneficial ownershipU.S. NEOs in 2014 under the 2013 Equity Incentive Plan, in each case calculated as the closing price of such shares.

(b)In accordance with Rule 13d-3(1), percent of class is determined without consideration of additional shares ofour common stock that would be issued ifas quoted on Nasdaq on the outstanding shares of the Company’s Series C Convertible Preferred Stock were to be converted for, or redeemed in exchange for, shares of common stock, except with respect to the listed party (however, the listed party does not own any shares of the Company’s Series C Convertible Preferred Stock).

Beneficial Ownership of Directors and Executive Officers

The table below sets forth certain information regarding the beneficial ownership of the Company’s common stock as of April 1, 2013grant date multiplied by each director, each Named Executive Officer (which includes: (1) our Chief Executive Officer (CEO), (2) our Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and (3) our three most highly compensated executive officers other than our CEO and our CFO who were serving as executive officers at the end of 2012; in light of W.E.T.’s significant contribution to Gentherm’s consolidated revenues and earnings, W.E.T. executive officers are treated as executive officers for purposes of this determination, but are employees of W.E.T.), and all of the directors and executive officers as a group. Beneficial ownership includes any shares which a person has the right to acquire within 60 days after the date of calculation, including shares that may be purchased by the exercise of stock options. The “percent of class” calculation for each person is based on this inclusive definition of beneficial ownership. Each person listed has sole voting power and investment power with respect to all shares of Common Stock listed as beneficially owned by such person.

   Common Stock 
   Amount and Nature  of
Beneficial Ownership
   Percent
of  Class(c)
 

Directors and Executive Officers

  Shares(a)   Stock Options(b)   

Lewis Booth (Director)

   1,567     —       —    

Francois J. Castaing (Director)

   5,040     30,000     *  

Sophie Desormière (Director)

   3,554     —       *  

John M. Devine (Director)

   5,040     40,000     *  

James D. Donlon III (Director)

   3,554     —       *  

Maurice E.P. Gunderson (Director)

   5,040     50,000     *  

Oscar B. Marx, III (Director)

   578,302     50,000     1.9

Carlos Mazzorin (Director)

   5,040     10,000     *  

Daniel R. Coker (Director, President and CEO)

   42,309     70,000     *  

Caspar Baumhauer (CEO of W.E.T. Automotive Systems AG)

   —       —       —    

Frithjof Oldorff (COO of W.E.T. Automotive Systems AG)

   —       —       —    

Thomas Liedl (CFO of W.E.T. Automotive Systems AG)

   —       —       —    

Barry G. Steele (Vice President of Finance, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer)

   39,701     10,000     *  

All executive officers and directors as a group (18 persons), including the above individuals

   819,112     467,064     3.8

*Less than 1%.
(a)Includes non-vested restricted shares as follows: Lewis Booth, 1,567 shares; Francois Castaing, 3,554 shares; Sophie Desormière, 3,554 shares; John Devine, 3,554 shares; James Donlon, 3,554 shares; Maurice Gunderson, 3,554 shares; Oscar B Marx, 3,554 shares; Carlos Mazzorin, 3,554 shares; Daniel Coker, 27,500 shares; Barry Steele 21,500 shares; and all executive officers and directors as a group, 136,445 shares.
(b)In accordance with the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the amounts listed include the number of shares of common stock purchasable pursuantsubject to options that are either currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of April 1, 2013.the award.

(c)

(3)

In accordance with Rule 13d-3(1), percent

Amounts reported reflect the aggregate grant-date fair value of class is determined without consideration of additional shares of commonoption awards.  Awards in this column for 2014 relate to stock that would be issued ifoptions, in the outstanding sharescase of the Company’s Series C Convertible Preferred Stock were to be converted for, or redeemedU.S. NEOs, and cash-settled SARs, in exchange for, shares of common stock, except with respect to each listed party (however, nonethe case of the listed parties own any shares ofnon-U.S. NEOs, granted in 2014 under the Company’s Series C Convertible Preferred Stock).

SECURITIES AUTHORIZED FOR ISSUANCE UNDER EQUITY COMPENSATION PLANS

See Item 5 on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2012 and Proposal 4 for information with respect to our shares of common stock that may be issued under our existing equity compensation plans. For a description of the material features of the above plans, see Note 8 of our consolidated financial statements and related financial information filed on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2012 and indexed on page F-1 therein.

SECTION 16(A) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE

Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 requires our officers and directors, and persons who own more than ten percent of a registered class of our equity securities, to file reports of ownership and changes in ownership with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Officers, directors and greater than ten-percent shareholders are required by Securities and Exchange Commission regulation to furnish us with copies of all Section 16(a) reports they file. Based solely on review of the copies of such reports furnished to us during or with respect to 2012, or written representations that no filings on Form 5 were required, we believe that during 2012 all Section 16(a) filing requirements applicable to our officers, directors and greater than ten-percent beneficial owners were complied with, except as follows: Form 4s for May, 2012 annual grants of shares of common stock were filed late for each of our non-executive board members, Francois Castaing, Sophie Desormière, James Donlon, John Devine, Maurice Gunderson, Oscar B. Marx and Carlos Mazzorin, and Form 3s were filed late with respect to Sophie Desormière and James Donlon, in part due to difficulties obtaining filing codes for newly appointed directors; James Mertes filed a Form 4 late with respect to options exercised in September, 2012; and Kenneth Phillips filed a Form 3 late and a Form 4 late with respect to restricted stock and stock option grants in September, 2012, in part due to difficulties obtaining filing codes for the newly appointed officer.

DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

Non-employee directors receive the following compensation as consideration for their service in their capacity as directors, in addition to reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses incurred in attending Board of Directors and committee meetings:

an annual fee of $50,000 ($75,000 for the Chairman of the Board);

an annual fee of $5,000 ($10,000 for the committee chairman) for Audit or Compensation Committee members;

an annual fee of $1,000 ($5,000 for the committee chairman) for Nominating Committee members; and

$50,000 in restricted stock granted as of the date of the annual Stockholders’ Meeting. The replacement of stock options, which were historically granted to our directors, with restricted stock awards was implemented during 2012 in a two-step process. First, directors received restricted stock on the first day of business in 2012, January 3, 2012 with a2013 Equity Incentive Plan.  Valuation assumptions used in determining the grant-date fair value of 5/12 of $50,000 or $20,833 and, second, directors received restricted stock on the day of the annual meeting of stockholders (or, with respect to new directors, on the date they first became directors) valued at $50,000. All of the restricted stock will vest on the first anniversary of the date of grant, subject to the applicable Director’s continued service or retirement under the terms of the Company’s incentive equity plan.

Employee directors do not receive any additional compensation in recognition for their service as a director of the Company.

The following table sets forth information concerning the compensation paid to our non-employee directors during 2012:

Name (a)

  Fees Earned or
Paid  in Cash ($)
   Restricted
Stock Awards  ($)(b)
   Total ($) 

Lon E. Bell

  $21,250    $20,833    $42,083  

Lewis Booth

   —       —       —    

Francois J. Castaing

   56,000     70,833     126,833  

Sophie Desormière

   56,000     50,000     106,000  

John M. Devine

   61,000     70,833     131,833  

James D. Donlon, III

   56,000     50,000     106,000  

Maurice E.P. Gunderson

   61,000     70,833     131,833  

Oscar B. Marx, III

   80,000     70,833     150,833  

Carlos Mazzorin

   56,000     70,833     126,833  

James Paulsen

  $25,417    $20,833    $46,250  

(a)Director Daniel R. Coker is an executive officer in the Summary Compensation Table above and, because he was an executive officer during 2012, he receives no additional compensation for his service as a director.
(b)Except for Mr. Booth, Ms. Desormière and Mr. Donlon, the restricted stock award amounts include the January 3, 2012 award, valued at 5/12 of $50,000 or $20,833, in accordance with the two-step transition from stock options are included in Note 7 to restricted stock awards described above. The remaining amounts represent restrict stock awards grantedthe audited financial statements included in our annual report on May 10, 2012,Form 10-K for the day ofyear ended December 31, 2014.  Cash-settled SARs are liability-classified on our balance sheet and the annual meeting of shareholders, valuedincome (expense) is remeasured at $50,000. Mr. Booth received no compensation in 2012 because his appointment to director was not effective until January 1, 2013. See the table above entitled “Beneficial Ownership of Directors and Executive Officers” for outstanding stock option and restricted stock awards.

The Board of Directors believes that the above compensation plan for non-employee directors is appropriate based on the significant increase in the Company’s complexity in the past two years and the corresponding increase in time and effort required by members of the board.

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

General Compensation Objectives. The Compensation Committee’s overall compensation objectives applicable to our executive officers are to provide a compensation package intended to attract, motivate and retain qualified executives and to provide them with incentives to achieve our annual goals and increase shareholder value. The Compensation Committee reviews these objectives each year and has affirmed this philosophy. The Compensation Committee implements these objectives through salaries, bonuses, equity incentives, a 401(k) plan, a defined benefit plan for our President and Chief Executive Officer and miscellaneous personal benefits. Our objectives and reasons for selecting each of these elements are described below.

Our compensation philosophy is to emphasize compensation that provides executives with incentives to achieve our annual budgeted goals and increase shareholder value. To that end, as described below, we have adopted a bonus plan that is tied directly to achieving particular results, and we award equity incentives designed for executive retention and to provide executives with incentives to increase shareholder value. Each is intended to represent a potentially significant portion of our executives’ total compensation. Generally, the annual bonuses we pay are based on a varying percentage of an executive’s salary and, as a result, changes in an executive’s salary generally change the amount of his or her annual bonus. Equity incentives are generally determined based on the executive’s position rather than his or her salary.

Comparability. Based on reviews of information from various publications and hired consultants, their extensive experience with compensation practices in other businesses, information included in proxy statements of similar companies with comparable market capitalization and comparable revenues, and its members’ subjective review of the reasonableness and fairness of proposed compensation in light of all relevant circumstances, the Compensation Committee has determined that the salaries paid to the Company’s executives are in line with the compensation offered by other similarly-situated companies and that the bonus compensation is reasonable. The Compensation Committee has also determined that the total compensation, including equity compensation, paid to the Company’s executive officers is reasonable and fair based on a peer group analysis prepared by external consultants and independent information available. The list of companies which we consider to be comparable for purposes of the above analysis, and for which our independent consultants have recently provided data, are CTS Corp, Drew Industries, Inc., Gentex Corp., Littlefuse, Inc., Measurement Specialties, Inc., Methode Electornics, Inc., Modine Manufacturing, Inc., Pulse Electronics Corp., Stoneridge, Inc. and Superior Industries International. We believe such companies are generally comparable to our Company in terms of revenue, market capitalization and industry.

Salaries. The Compensation Committee’s policy is to provide salaries that it believes are necessary to attract and retain qualified executives. In determining its recommendations for executive officer salaries, the Compensation Committee generally relies on the recommendations of its President and Chief Executive Officer and on the Compensation Committee’s review of salaries paid to similar officers at comparable companies as described above under “Comparability”. The Compensation Committee also considers individual performance, the executive officer’s position and experience, the Company’s financial resources, the executive officer’s existing salary and the salaries of our other officers and employees. On an annual basis, executive salaries are reviewed by the Compensation Committee. Salary increases for executive officers are generally granted after this review. Historically, such increases have been between 3% and 5% and represented a combination of a cost of living / inflation adjustment and a merit raise. For 2012, the Compensation Committee concluded that a market rate adjustment in salary based on the peer group analysis described above is not required and, rather, a regular salary increase, based on the criteria stated above and consistent with the range stated above, was appropriate.

Bonuses. The Compensation Committee’s policy is to make a meaningful portion of an executive’s compensation contingent on achieving performance targets for the year. For the fiscal year ending December 31, 2012, the Compensation Committee concluded to adopt a bonus plan (the “Bonus Plan”) that focused on achievement of personal goals. All of our executive officers participated in the Bonus Plan.

The Bonus Plan is designed to encourage Company employees to operate as entrepreneurial stakeholders and reward them for bringing value to the Company by meeting or exceeding financial and operational objectives. To be eligible to receive an incentive award under the Bonus Plan, an employee must be employed on the bonus payment date. For 2012, 2011 and 2010, the Bonus Plan was divided into two distinct reporting periods, the first half of the year and the second half of the year. Upon achievement of the applicable criteria for each half, eligible employees were entitled to receive bonuses of a pre-determined amount. The achievement or failure to achieve the applicable criteria for one half of the year was not used to determine whether the criteria for the other half of the year had been achieved.

The Compensation Committee, working with management, establishes individual performance objectives for each individual participating in the Bonus Plan. The objectives are broad-ranging and, depending upon the individual’s position, included items such as eliminating or reducing specific expenditures, completing engineering objectives, developing new business, streamlining operations, completing other specific projects and other similar types of objectives. None of the individual performance objectives pertain to company-wide financial performance targets. All individual performance targets are subjective and the Bonus Plan gives the Compensation Committee the right to determine if the pre-determined objectives have been met.

For 2012, the Compensation Committee determined that all of named executive officers achieved their individual, subjective performance objectives, at least to some degree, and recommended to the Board of Directors that bonuses be paid to each of them. The Board of Directors adopted such recommendation.

The Compensation Committee does not have a formal written policy regarding adjustment of bonus payments if the relevant performance measures or underlying facts upon which they are based are restated or otherwise adjusted in a manner that would materially increase or reduce the size of the incentive payment, but the Compensation Committee concluded that, for 2012, no such restatement or adjustment occurred.

Equity Incentives. The Compensation Committee uses the award of stock options or restricted stock to executive officers to retain them and provide a long-term incentive to increase shareholder value. The Compensation Committee’s policy is that these equity incentives should be a significant portion of an executive’s potential compensation because increasing shareholder value is management’s primary objective. Whenever stock options are awarded, the Company’s policy is to fix the exercise price of the options at the fair market value of the underlying shares on theeach balance sheet date of grant. Therefore, such options only provide compensation if the price of the underlying shares increases. As of December 31, 2012, there remained 8,578 shares and 2,304,000 shares available for grant under the 2006 and 2011 Equity Incentive Plans, respectively. No shares remain available for grant under the 1993 Stock Option Plan or the 1997 Stock Incentive Plan. The Committee does not have a policy of timing option grants in coordination with the release of material non-public information. The Committee generally considers equity incentive grants on an annual basis and at varying times throughout the year, generally based upon recommendations from the Board of Directors that additional equity incentives are appropriate.

The Compensation Committee’s policy has been to grant options that vest over a specific period (generally three or four years) to provide an incentive for the recipient to remain with us, to provide a long-term incentive and to lessen the accounting charge for such options (which is generally amortized over the vesting period). We do not have any stock ownership requirements for executive officers, excluding the Chief Executive Officer who is bound by the same stock ownership requirement as our directors; however, each of our executives has a significant number of exercisable options. During 2011, we adopted a stock ownership requirement for directors which is described further below under “Compensation of Directors.” As noted above, this policy also applies to our Chief Executive Officer.

The vesting of all of our option and restricted share awards may, at the discretion of the Board of Directors, accelerate upon a change in control to provide a greater incentive for all optionees to complete change in control transactions that benefit shareholders by allowing them to participate in the benefits of the transaction regardless of whether their employment will continue. Unvested options and restricted share awards do not automatically

accelerate upon a change in control. The vested portion of options granted to executives and directors generally remain exercisable after termination of employment until their original expiration date, subject to the discretion of the Committee. The Committee’s policy is to provide new executives with stock options to attract them to us. The number of options awarded is based on negotiations with new executives, management’s recommendations and the Committee’s subjective judgment primarily after reviewing the number of options granted to our other executives.

Defined Benefit Plan. During 2008, the Compensation Committee recommended a new defined benefit plan benefiting the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Daniel R. Coker. Such plan was subsequently approved by the Independent Directors. The defined benefit plan is intended to entice the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Daniel R. Coker to maintain employment with the Company for a considerable period of time. Stability and competence at the executive level was a key factor in our decision to recommend such plan. The plan, more fully described in Note 14 of our consolidated financial statements and related financial information indexed on page F-1 of our Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2013, includes a vesting period that began on April 1, 2011 and continues for six years. The considerable period of time between adoption of the plan and its full vesting is consistent with our compensation goals of retaining a qualified President and Chief Executive Officer. The plan provides for fifteen annual benefit payments of $300,000 each beginning January 1, 2018. Based on our review of the benefits offered to President and Chief Executive Officers of other similarly-situated companies, and based on our desire to retain the services of Mr. Coker, we believe that the defined benefit plan is fair and reasonable. Other than the defined benefit plan described above, Gentherm does not maintain any post-retirement medical benefits, non-qualified deferred compensation plans or retirement or pension plans, other than our 401(k) Plan, which is available to all of our employees.

401(k) Plan. We have adopted a 401(k) plan to provide all eligible employees a means to accumulate retirement savings on a tax-advantaged basis, and our executive officers are eligible to participate in this plan on the same basis as other participants. Participants may defer specified portions of their compensation and (1) we match 50% percent of employee contributions up to a contribution by us equal to 2% percent of the employee’s compensation and (2) we may, but are not required to, make additional discretionary contributions. The Compensation Committee has not made any discretionary contribution to the 401(k) Plan since its inception.

Vacation Pay. All Company employees are subject to the same vacation pay policy. The number of days of vacation time available to each employee is based on the number of years such employee has worked for the Company. Employees are encouraged to take all of their available vacation time each year, but may carryover any unused vacation time indefinitely. To the extent that an employee has more than 40 hours of accumulated vacation time at any time, he or she may elect to receive a lump sum payment for any portion of such excess hours at his or her then-current rate of pay. In addition, upon an employee’s termination of employment with the Company, he or she will receive a lump sum payment for all unused vacation time at his or her then-current rate of pay. Employees that have accumulated vacation in excess of 240 hours on June 30 or December 31 of any year are paid a mandatory lump sum payment equal to such excess at his or her then-current rate of pay.

Employment and Change in Control Agreements. The Company’s policy, as approved by the Compensation Committee is to not execute formal employment agreements with our executive officers. The Compensation Committee believes that it has been able to attract qualified executives without the need to negotiate and enter into formal agreements. Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is customary in Germany for executive officers to enter into employment contracts and the executive officers of W.E.T. have each entered into written employment agreements with W.E.T (“Service Agreements”). Copies of the Service Agreements were filed as exhibits to our Current Report on Form 8-K dated August 4, 2011. The Service Agreements provide that W.E.T. executive officers will receive a base salary, an annual performance-based bonus calculated pursuant to objective measurements set forth in the applicable Service Agreement and a discretionary bonus determined by the W.E.T. Supervisory Board. The Service Agreements also provide for automobile allowances, reimbursement of expenses, paid vacation time, pension contributions, death and disability insurance coverage and severance. The Compensation Committee was not in a position to influence the terms of the Service Agreements at the time of their execution and plays no role in determining whether the W.E.T. executive officers have achieved their bonus targets or should receive a discretionary bonus.

Perquisites. We provide certain of our executive officers with use of a company-owned automobile. Our most important product is the system that heats and cools automobile seats and we believe it is important that our executive officers not only thoroughly understand our product but also present themselves to others as users of our product. We allocate the costs of such automobiles between business and personal use and report the personal use portion as additional compensation paid to the applicable employee. The Company also provides club memberships to our President and Chief Executive Officer. These memberships are used for entertaining current and potential customers and suppliers and other business associates of the Company. They are also used as meeting locations. We allocate the costs of such club memberships between business and personal use and report the personal use portion as additional compensation paid to our President and Chief Executive Officer.

Restricted Stock. For 2012, the Compensation Committee elected to grant restricted stock to certain members of Gentherm’s senior management who participate in an advisory board that oversees the W.E.T. investment. In 2011, the Compensation Committee elected to grant a special, one-time, payment of restricted stock to selected executives for the extraordinary work performed to consummate the acquisition of W.E.T. The allocation of such grant among such executive officers was determined based on the relative impact each such officer had in bringing the acquisition of W.E.T. to completion.

Section 162(m) Policy. The Compensation Committee reserves the right to pay compensation to Company executives in amounts it deems appropriate regardless of whether such compensation is deductible for federal income tax purposes. The Committee believes providing the compensation it deems appropriate is more important to the Company than the potential loss of related compensation deductions, especially in light of the Company’s net operating loss carryforwards, the non-cash nature of deductions available upon the exercise of stock options, and the current levels of its base salaries and bonuses. To date, Section 162(m) has not prevented us from deducting compensation paid to our executive officers.

Summary Compensation Table

The following table sets forth compensation information for 2012, 2011 and 2010 for the following “Named Executive Officers”: (1) our Chief Executive Officer (CEO), (2) our Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and (3) our three most highly compensated executive officers other than our CEO and our CFO who were serving as executive officers at the end of 2012. In light of W.E.T.’s significant contribution to Gentherm’s consolidated revenues and earnings, W.E.T. executive officers are treated as executive officers.

Name and

Principal Position

 Year  Salary
($)(a)
  Option
Awards
($)(b)
  Restricted
Share  Awards
($)(c)
  Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation
($)(d)
  Changes
in Non-
qualified
Deferred
Compen-
sation
Earnings
($)(e)(f)
  All  Other
Compen-
sation
($)(g)
  Total ($) 

Daniel R. Coker,

    President and Chief

    Executive Officer

  

 

 

2012

2011

2010

  

  

  

 $

 

 

510,000

340,000

308,672

  

  

  

 $

 

 

—  

373,200

—  

  

  

  

 $

 

 

285,750

252,000

—  

  

  

  

 $

 

 

470,000

275,000

300,000

  

  

  

 $

 

 

317,000

263,000

228,000

  

  

  

 $

 

 

56,328

42,567

21,592

  

  

  

 $
 

 

1,639,078
1,545,767

858,264

  
  

  

Caspar Baumhauer,

    W.E.T. Chief Executive Officer(h)

  

 

2012

2011

  

  

 $

 

594,096

433,200

  

  

 $—     $

 

—  

—  

  

  

 $

 

834,431

589,536

  

  

 $

 

33,669

—  

  

  

 $

 

101,107

16,595

  

  

 $

 

1,563,303

1,039,331

  

  

Frithjof Oldorff,

    W.E.T. Chief Operating Officer(i)

  2012   $382,135   $—     $—     $540,151   $—     $15,775   $938,061  

Thomas Liedl,

    W.E.T. Chief Financial Officer(j)

  2012   $369,095   $—     $—     $534,210   $5,942   $22,294   $931,541  

Barry G. Steele,

    Vice President of

    Finance, Chief

    Financial Officer and Treasurer

  

 

 

2012

2011

2010

  

  

  

 $

 
 

257,252

214,376
204,168

  

  
  

 $

 

 

—  

186,600

—  

  

  

  

 $

 

 

222,250

201,600

—  

  

  

  

 $

 

 

150,000

135,000

135,000

  

  

  

 $

 

 

—  

—  

—  

  

  

  

 $

 

 

25,732

13,472

19,853

  

  

  

 $

 

 

655,234

751,048

359,021

  

  

  

(a)During 2010, 2011 and 2012, none of the Named Executive Officers earned a non-equity bonus that was not based on the achievement of a pre-established performance target. Bonuses earned that were tied to pre-established performance targets are reported under the column entitled “Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation.”
(b)The dollar amount shown is based on the grant date fair market value of our common stock, although no remeasurements are reflected herein.

(4)

Amounts reported for 2014 for Mr. Coker represent the options awarded duringincrease in the applicable year asactuarial present value of Mr. Coker’s accumulated benefit under the U.S. Defined Benefit Plan from December 31, 2013 to December 31, 2014, computed in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718. For a full description of all of the assumptions made in the valuation of option awards, see Note 8 of our consolidated financial statements and related financial information indexed on page F-1 of Form 10-K filed for the period ended December 31, 2012.

(c)The dollar amount shown is based on the grant date price of Gentherm’s common stock.
(d)See “Compensation Discussion and Analysis – Bonuses” for a description of non-equity incentive plan compensation for executive officers under our incentive bonus plan. The amounts shown for 2010 were awarded to the applicable executive based on 2010 service; however a portion of such amounts was not paid until 2011. The amounts shown for 2011 were awarded to the applicable executive based on 2011 service; however a portion of such amounts was not paid until 2012. The amounts shown for 2012 were awarded to the applicable executive based on 2012 service; however a portion of such amounts was not paid until 2013.
(e)

On August 8, 2008, the Company established The Executive Nonqualified Defined Benefit Plan of Gentherm Incorporated (the “Defined Benefit Plan”) with an effective date of April 1, 2008. Daniel Coker, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, is expected to be the only participant in the Defined Benefit Plan which will, if fully vested, provide for fifteen annual retirement benefit payments of $300,000 each beginning January 1, 2018. Mr. Coker will become entitled to receive such retirement benefit payments, or a portion thereof, through his continuous service to the Company as follows: Mr. Coker will become proportionally vested in the benefit over a six year period starting on April 1, 2011. The Company has also established a

corporate-owned life insurance policy (“COLI”) on the life of Oscar Marx III, the Chairman of the Company’s Board of Directors. The COLI is held by a trust established for payment of benefits under the Defined Benefit Plan. We have accounted for the Defined Benefit Plan in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards CodificationFASB ASC Topic 715, which requires that the Company record a projected benefit obligation representing the present value of future plan benefits when earned by the participant. As of December 31, 2012,2014, the recorded projected benefit obligation for Mr. Coker was $1,633,000. For a full description of all of the$2,474,000. Valuation assumptions madeused in the valuation ofdetermining the projected benefit obligation under the U.S. Defined Benefit Plan seeare included in Note 14 of our consolidated12 to the audited financial statements and related financial information indexedincluded in our annual report on page F-1 of Form 10-K for the periodyear ended December 31, 2012.2014.


(f)

(5)

The amount shown

Amounts reported for Mr. Baumhauer represents his allocated share of2014 include the current year service cost recognized on the defined benefit plan W.E.T. has established for retired and current members of its executive management team based on the plan’s defined benefit obligation as December 31, 2012.

(g)See “Compensation Discussion and Analysis – Perquisites” and “Compensation Discussion and Analysis – Vacation Pay” for a description of other compensationfollowing: 401(k) match paid to executive officers. The amounts shown include payments by the Company for (i) unused vacation time off, (ii) 401(k) matching contributions paid by the Company for the benefit of the Named Executive Officer, (iii) automobiles used byU.S. NEOs ($10,400 each); personal use of automobile for each of the Named Executive Officers, (iv)named executive officers; excess accrued vacation payments to each of Messrs. Coker and Steele ($30,256 for Mr. Coker); Mr. Coker’s personal use of country club memberships used bymemberships; the employee portion of German social insurance contributions, including a gross-up for taxes, for Messrs. Oldorff and Liedl ($19,370 in gross-up for taxes for Mr. Coker, (v) amounts paid upon vesting of restricted stock to enable employees to make his estimated tax payments on the compensation income associated with such vesting event,Oldorff); and (vi) an additional retirement contribution of $77,164 paidseverance obligations to Mr. BaumhauerLiedl upon separation of employment ($529,103).

(6)

Cash payments reported for the non-U.S. NEOs (which excludes option awards, which are denominated in accordance with his Service Agreement with W.E.T. With respect to (iii) and (iv), the Company has only disclosed the portion of such items determined to be related to the Named Executive Officer’s personal use.

(h)AmountsU.S. Dollars) were paid in Euros and converted tointo U.S. Dollars based on the average exchange rate asat the endtime of December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively. For 2011, the amounts shown as having been paid to Mr. Baumhauer reflect amounts earned after May 16, 2011. Mr. Baumhauer’s total compensation for 2011 was EUR 1,190,000 or $1,656,574. Mr. Baumhauer’s 2012 and 2011 compensation was paid pursuant to the terms of his Service Agreement with W.E.T.each applicable payment.

(i)Paid pursuant to the terms of Mr. Oldorff’s Service Agreement with W.E.T. in Euros and converted to U.S. Dollars based on the average exchange rate as of December 31, 2012.
(j)Paid pursuant to the terms of Mr. Liedl’s Service Agreement with W.E.T. in Euros and converted to U.S. Dollars based on the average exchange rate as of December 31, 2012.

Narrative Discussion of Summary Compensation Table

Non-U.S. NEOs - Bonuses. In 2012 and 2013, the non-U.S. NEOs participated in the W.E.T. Bonus Plan.  The W.E.T. Bonus Plan provided for annual bonuses in amounts dependent on the achievement of the target enterprise value of the W.E.T. group.  The degree of achievement of the performance goal ranged from -100% to +300%.  The amount of the bonus payable to a participant in the plan was equal to the degree of achievement of the performance goal multiplied by 50% of the participant’s base salary.  Bonus amounts were credited to the participant’s bonus “account” and specified percentages of positive balances in such account were paid each year.  In 2013, the remaining positive balances were paid in full upon termination of the plan.

Non-U.S. NEOs – Equity Awards. In 2012, the Committee did not grant equity awards to officers of our German Subsidiary, due to the significant salary and bonus compensation set forth in their respective Service Agreements, as well as court actions in Germany which prevented us from treating our German Subsidiary as an operating subsidiary until early 2013.  Following dismissal of such court actions, and in connection with the resulting integration of our German Subsidiary that began in earnest in mid-2013, the Board appointed the non-U.S. NEOs to their current positions.  Following such appointments, the Committee granted cash-settled SARs to the non-U.S. NEOs, in amounts consistent with historical stock option grants to the Company’s other executive officers.

Mr. Oldorff. Mr. Oldorff is party to a Service Agreement with our German Subsidiary, which establishes the material terms of his compensation and provides for specified termination benefits.  See “—Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control” for a description of such agreement.

Mr. Liedl. Mr. Liedl was party to a Service Agreement with our German Subsidiary, which established the material terms of his compensation and provided for specified termination benefits.  Mr. Liedl’s employment with the Company terminated effective August 31, 2014 by mutual agreement.  In accordance with the terms of separation, which were separately negotiated, Mr. Liedl received $422,556 in respect of vested cash settled SARs he held as of the date of separation (see “—Option Exercises and Stock Vested in 2014”) and a severance payment of $529,103.

Messrs. Schumacher and Phillips. Messrs. Schumacher and Phillips were named executive officers only in 2014.  The Summary Compensation Table for 2014 is not required to include their compensation information for 2012 and 2013.


Grants of Plan BasedPlan-Based Awards in 20122014

The following table sets forthprovides information concerning eachabout equity awards granted to the named executive officers in 2014.  The Company did not grant of an award made during 2012 to each of our Named Executive Officers.any non-equity or equity incentive awards in 2014.

 

Name

  Grant Date Payouts
Under
Non-Equity
Incentive
Plan
Awards
($)(a)
   Restricted
Stock
Awards
(#)
   Grant Date
Fair Value
of Stock
and Option
Awards ($)
 

 

Grant Date

 

All Other

Stock

Awards:

Number of

Shares of

Stock or Units

(#)(1)

 

 

All Other

Option

Awards:

Number of

Securities

Underlying

Options

(#)(2)

 

 

Exercise Price

or Base Price

of Option

Awards

($/Sh)

 

 

Grant Date

Fair Value of

Stock and

Option

Awards

($)(3)

 

Daniel R. Coker

   December 21,  2012      22,500    $285,750  

 

02/19/2014

 

 

18,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

471,060

 

   $470,000      

 

02/19/2014

 

 

 

 

 

80,000

 

 

 

26.17

 

 

 

552,800

 

Caspar Baumhauer(b)

   $834,431     —       —    

Frithjof Oldorff(b)

   $540,151     —       —    

Thomas Liedl(b)

   $534,210     —       —    

Barry G. Steele

   December 21, 2012      17,500    $222,250  

 

02/19/2014

 

 

12,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

314,040

 

   $150,000      

 

02/19/2014

 

 

 

 

 

40,000

 

 

 

26.17

 

 

 

276,400

 

Frithjof R. Oldorff

 

02/19/2014

 

 

 

 

 

40,000

 

 

 

26.17

 

 

 

276,400

 

Thomas H. Liedl

 

02/19/2014

 

 

 

 

 

40,000

 

 

 

26.17

 

 

 

276,400

 

Darren Schumacher

 

02/19/2014

 

 

12,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

314,040

 

 

02/19/2014

 

 

 

 

 

40,000

 

 

 

26.17

 

 

 

276,400

 

Kenneth J. Phillips

 

02/19/2014

 

 

12,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

314,040

 

 

02/19/2014

 

 

 

 

 

40,000

 

 

 

26.17

 

 

 

276,400

 

 

(a)

(1)

Relate to restricted stock granted to the U.S. NEOs under the 2013 Equity Incentive Plan.

(2)

Relate to stock options granted to the U.S. NEOs and cash-settled SARs granted to the non-U.S. NEOs, in each case under the 2013 Equity Incentive Plan.

(3)

The restricted stock had a grant-date fair value of $26.17 per share, which was the closing price of our common stock as quoted on Nasdaq on the date of grant.  The stock options and cash-settled SARs had grant-date fair values of $6.91 per share.  See “Compensation DiscussionNotes 2 and Analysis – Bonuses”3 to the “Summary Compensation Table for 2014.”

Narrative Discussion of Grants of Plan-Based Awards in 2014

Restricted Stock.  The restricted stock vests in three equal installments on the first through third anniversaries of the date of grant, provided such person’s employment is continuing on each such vesting date.

Stock Options.  The stock options vest in four equal installments on the first through fourth anniversaries of the date of grant, provided such person’s employment is continuing on each such vesting date.

Cash-Settled SARs.  The cash-settled SARs vest in four equal installments on the first through fourth anniversaries of the date of grant, provided such person’s employment is continuing on such vesting date.  Upon Mr. Liedl’s separation, all of the cash-settled SARs granted to him in 2014 were immediately forfeited and terminated.  See “–Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control – Equity Awards” for further information.


Outstanding Equity Awards at December 31, 2014

The following table presents information on the unexercised option awards and unvested stock awards held by the named executive officers as of December 31, 2014.  Mr. Liedl had no outstanding equity awards as of December 31, 2014.

 

 

 

 

Option Awards

 

 

Stock Awards

 

 

 

 

 

Number of Securities

Underlying Unexercised

Options (#)(1)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name

 

Grant Date

 

Exercisable

 

 

Unexercisable

 

 

Option

Exercise

Price ($)

 

 

Option

Expiration

Date

 

 

Number of

Shares or

Units of

Stock

That Have

Not

Vested

(#)(3)

 

 

Market

Value of

Shares or

Units of

Stock That

Have Not

Vested

($)(4)

 

Daniel R. Coker

 

09/02/2011(1)

 

 

20,000

 

 

 

20,000

 

 

 

12.60

 

09/02/2018

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

07/02/2013(1)

 

 

 

 

 

60,000

 

 

 

19.10

 

07/02/2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

02/19/2014(1)

 

 

 

 

 

80,000

 

 

 

26.17

 

02/19/2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Various

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

38,000

 

 

 

1,391,560

 

Barry G. Steele

 

09/02/2011(1)

 

 

 

 

 

10,000

 

 

 

12.60

 

09/02/2018

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

07/02/2013(1)

 

 

 

 

 

30,000

 

 

 

19.10

 

07/02/2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

02/19/2014(1)

 

 

 

 

 

40,000

 

 

 

26.17

 

02/19/2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Various

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

24,000

 

 

 

878,880

 

Frithjof R. Oldorff

 

07/02/2013(2)

 

 

 

 

 

60,000

 

 

 

19.10

 

07/02/2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

02/19/2014(2)

 

 

 

 

 

40,000

 

 

 

26.17

 

02/19/2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Darren Schumacher

 

11/20/2013(1)

 

 

 

 

 

45,000

 

 

 

23.71

 

11/20/2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

02/19/2014(1)

 

 

 

 

 

40,000

 

 

 

26.17

 

02/19/2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Various

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14,000

 

 

 

512,680

 

Kenneth J. Phillips

 

08/23/2012(1)

 

 

 

 

 

25,000

 

 

 

11.63

 

08/23/2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

07/02/2013(1)

 

 

 

 

 

30,000

 

 

 

19.10

 

07/02/2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

02/19/2014(1)

 

 

 

 

 

40,000

 

 

 

26.17

 

02/19/2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Various

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

26,500

 

 

 

970,430

 

(1)

Outstanding stock options held by the U.S. NEOs vest in four equal installments on the first through fourth anniversaries of the date of grant, provided such person’s employment is continuing on each such vesting date.

(2)

Outstanding cash-settled SARs held by Mr. Oldorff vest in four equal installments on the first through fourth anniversaries of the date of grant, provided his employment is continuing on each such vesting date.

(3)

Outstanding restricted stock held by the U.S. NEOs vests as follows, provided such person’s employment is continuing on each such vesting date:

 

 

August 23,

 

 

July 2,

 

 

November 20,

 

 

February 19,

 

Name

 

 

2015

 

 

 

2015

 

 

 

2016

 

 

 

2015

 

 

 

2015

 

 

 

2016

 

 

 

2017

 

Daniel R. Coker

 

 

 

 

 

10,000

 

 

 

10,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

6,000

 

 

 

6,000

 

 

 

6,000

 

Barry G. Steele

 

 

 

 

 

6,000

 

 

 

6,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

4,000

 

 

 

4,000

 

 

 

4,000

 

Darren Schumacher

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,000

 

 

 

4,000

 

 

 

4,000

 

 

 

4,000

 

Kenneth J. Phillips

 

 

2,500

 

 

 

6,000

 

 

 

6,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

4,000

 

 

 

4,000

 

 

 

4,000

 

(4)

Based on the closing price of our common stock as quoted on Nasdaq on December 31, 2014, which was $36.62.


Option Exercises and Stock Vested in 2014

The following table provides information on the value realized by the named executive officers on the exercise of option awards and the vesting of stock awards in 2014.  The number of shares acquired and the value realized for each award excludes the payment of any fees, commissions or taxes.

 

 

Option Awards

 

 

Stock Awards

 

Name

 

Number of

Shares

Acquired on

Exercise (#)

 

 

Value Realized

on Exercise

($)(1)

 

 

Number of

Shares

Acquired on

Vesting (#)

 

 

Value

Realized on

Vesting ($)(2)

 

Daniel R. Coker

 

 

60,000

 

 

 

1,613,257

 

 

 

21,250

 

 

 

906,846

 

Barry G. Steele

 

 

20,000

 

 

 

671,681

 

 

 

14,750

 

 

 

624,738

 

Frithjof Oldorff

 

 

20,000

 

 

 

627,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thomas H. Liedl

 

 

15,000

 

 

 

422,556

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Darren Schumacher

 

 

15,000

 

 

 

250,377

 

 

 

2,000

 

 

 

80,367

 

Kenneth J. Phillips

 

 

22,500

 

 

 

709,708

 

 

 

17,250

 

 

 

741,612

 

(1)

Based on the number of stock options or cash-settled SARs exercised multiplied by the difference between (A) the purchase price received upon sale of the underlying shares, in the case of options, or the closing price of our common stock as quoted on Nasdaq on the date of exercise, in the case of cash-settled SARs, and (B) the exercise or base price.

(2)

Based on the number of shares of restricted stock vested multiplied by the closing price of our common stock as quoted on Nasdaq on the date of vesting (except in certain cases where all or a descriptionpart of incentive plan compensation for executive officers under our incentive bonus plan. Forsuch vested stock was sold on the purposesdate of this table, the cash amount shown under “Payouts Under Non-Equity Incentive Plan Awards” isvesting, in which case the actual cash bonus the named executive officerprice received for his performance for 2012. The Compensation Committee did notupon sale is used).


Pension Benefits in 2014

The following table provides information related to the U.S. Defined Benefit Plan and the German Defined Benefit Plan in 2014.

Name

 

Plan Name

 

Number of

Years

Credited

Service (#)

 

 

Present

Value of

Accumulated

Benefit ($)(1)

 

 

Payments

During Last

Fiscal Year

($)

 

Daniel R. Coker

 

The Executive Nonqualified Defined

Benefit Plan of Gentherm Incorporated

 

4

 

 

 

2,474,000

 

 

 

 

Frithjof R. Oldorff

 

The Gentherm GmbH Deferred

Compensation Pension Plan

 

N/A

 

 

 

552,419

 

 

 

 

Thomas H. Liedl

 

The Gentherm GmbH Deferred

Compensation Pension Plan

 

N/A

 

 

 

1,251,990

 

 

 

 

(1)

modify or waive any

Represents the present value of future benefits under the criteria appliedU.S. Defined Benefit Plan for Mr. Coker and the German Defined Benefit Plan for Messrs. Oldorff and Liedl through December 31, 2014. Valuation assumptions used in determining the projected benefit obligation under the U.S. Defined Benefit Plan and the German Defined Benefit Plan are included in Note 12 to determine if the incentive plan award show above was earned. For an explanation ofaudited financial statements included in our annual report on Form 10-K for the amount of salaryyear ended December 31, 2014.  Amounts reported for Messrs. Oldorff and non-equity incentive plan awards in proportion to total compensation, see “Compensation Discussion and Analysis – General Compensation Objectives”.

(b)Amounts paidLiedl are owed in Euros andbut converted to U.S. Dollars based on the exchange rate as ofat December 31, 2012.

Outstanding Equity Awards at December 31, 2012

The following tables set forth information concerning unexercised options and unvested restricted stock for each of the Named Executive Officers as of December 31, 2012.

Option Awards

Number of Securities
Underlying Unexercised
Options (#)
Option
Exercise
Price ($)
Option
Expiration
Date

Name

Grant Date

ExercisableUnexercisable

Daniel R. Coker

3/11/2009(b)

9/2/2011(c)


50,000

20,000



—  

60,000


$

2.62

12.60



3/11/2019

9/2/2018


Caspar Baumhauer

—  —  —  —  

Frithjof Oldorff

—  —  —  —  

Thomas Liedl

—  —  —  —  

Barry G. Steele

12/29/2006(c)

7/23/2008(a)

9/2/2011(c)


24,000

25,900

10,000



—  

—  

30,000



9.66

8.02

12.60



12/29/2016

7/23/2018

9/2/2018


2014.


(a)The option is subject to a vesting schedule in which the underlying shares are available for purchase in three equal installments on June 30, 2009, June 30, 2010 and June 30, 2011.
(b)The option is subject to a vesting schedule in which the underlying shares are available for purchase in three equal installments on the first, second and third anniversary of the grant date.
(c)The option is subject to a vesting schedule in which the underlying shares are available for purchase in four equal installments on the first, second, third and fourth anniversary of the grant date.

   Stock Awards 

Name

  Number of
Shares of  Stock
that Have Not
Vested(a)
   Market
Value of
Shares of
Stock that
Have Not
Vested(b)
 

Daniel R. Coker

   27,500    $365,750  

Caspar Baumhauer

   —       —    

Frithjof Oldorff

   —       —    

Thomas Liedl

   —       —    

Barry G. Steele

   21,500    $285,950  

(a)Of Mr. Coker’s currently unvested restricted shares of stock, 5,000 shares will vest at May, 2, 2013. The remaining 22,500 shares will vest 50% on December 21, 2013 and 50% on December 21, 2014. Of Mr. Steele’s currently unvested restricted shares of stock, 4,000 shares will vest at May 2, 2013. The remaining 17,500 shares will vest 50% on December 21, 2013 and 50% on December 21, 2014. The vesting of all restricted stock is conditioned upon the executive officer’s continued employment with the Company.
(b)Market value is based on the closing price of the Company’s common stock as of December 31, 2012.

Employment Agreements

The Named Executive Officers that are party to an employment agreement are Caspar Baumhauer, Frithjof Oldorff and Thomas Liedl. A description of their employment agreement is found above under “Compensation Discussion and Analysis—Employment and Change in Control Agreements”.

Option Exercises and Stock Vested in 2012

The following table represents (1) options that were exercised in 2012 by Named Executive Officers of the Company and (2) restricted stock held by Named Executive Officers of the Company that vested during 2012:

   Option Awards   Stock Awards 

Name

  Number of Shares
Acquired on
Exercise (#)
  Value Realized
On  Exercise ($)(a)
   Number of
Shares
Acquired on
Vesting (#)(b)
   Value Realized
On Vesting  ($)(c)
 

Daniel R. Coker

   —     $—       5,000    $73,350  

Caspar Baumhauer

   —      —       —       —    

Frithjof Oldorff

   —      —       —       —    

Thomas Liedl

   —      —       —       —    

Barry G. Steele

   

 

16,667

9,100

(d) 

(e) 

  

 

160,463

39,159

  

  

   4,000     58,680  

(a)The “Value Realized on Exercise” is equal to the difference between the market price of the underlying Common Stock on the date of exercise and the exercise price of the options.
(b)The shares listed became vested on May 2, 2012.
(c)The “Value Realized on Vesting” is equal to the number of shares that vested multiplied by the market value of such shares of Common Stock on the date of vesting.
(d)These options were exercised on August 6, 2012 at an exercise price of $2.62 per share.
(e)These options were exercised on September 20, 2012 at an exercise price of $8.02 per share.

Pension Benefits

The following table sets forth information concerning the Company’s defined benefit plan:

Name

  

Plan Name

  Number of Years
of Credited
Service (#)(a)
   Present Value
of
Accumulated
Benefit ($)(b)
   Payments
During Last
Fiscal Year ($)
 

Daniel R. Coker

  The Executive Nonqualified Defined Benefit Plan of Gentherm Incorporated   2    $1,633,000    $—    

(a)Mr. Coker will become entitled to receive benefits under The Executive Nonqualified Defined Benefit Plan of Gentherm Incorporated (the “Defined Benefit Plan”) through his continuous service to the Company as follows: Mr. Coker will become proportionally vested in the benefit over a six year period starting on April 1, 2011. If fully vested, the Defined Benefit Plan provides for fifteen annual retirement benefit payments to Mr. Coker of $300,000 each beginning January 1, 2018.
(b)Amount represents the present value of future benefits under the Defined Benefit Plan through December 31, 2012. For a full description of all of the assumptions made in the valuation of the projected benefit obligation under the Defined Benefit Plan, see Note 14 of our consolidated financial statements and related financial information indexed on page F-1 of Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2012.

Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control

Under the termsEquity Awards

Certain of the Company’s equity compensation plans contemplate acceleration of vesting upon, and exercisability of awards following, specified events.

Equity Compensation Plans.  Outstanding awards of restricted stock, stock options and cash-settled SARs as of December 31, 2014 were granted under the 2013 Equity Incentive Plan, the 2011 andEquity Incentive Plan, the 2006 Equity Incentive Plans, 1997 Stock Incentive Plan and 1993 Stock Option Plan, the occurrencerelated award agreements.  Under each plan, prior to a termination event, the Committee retains discretionary authority to accelerate the vesting of these awards for any reason, in whole or in part.  In addition:

·

Upon any termination of service, the unvested portion of any restricted stock, stock option or SAR award will be immediately terminated or forfeited.

·

Upon any termination of service other than for “cause” (as determined by the Committee), the vested portion of any stock option or SAR award will be exercisable for a period of 90 days following such termination and, in the case of SARs, will be deemed exercised on the 90th day following such termination, if not otherwise exercised prior to such date; provided, however, that such awards will not be exercisable, or deemed exercised, after their expiration dates.

·

Upon any termination of service for “cause,” the vested portion of any stock option or SAR award will be immediately terminated or forfeited.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee retains discretionary authority to accelerate the vesting of restricted stock, stock option and SAR awards, in whole or in part, (A) if a “change in control”termination is due to a participant’s death, permanent disability or retirement, is by the Company or a subsidiary of the Company as such termwithout cause, or is by agreement of the parties; or (B) upon or in anticipation of a change in control (as defined in each plan, may (but not automatically) result under certain circumstancesthe plan).

Value of Acceleration of Unvested Equity Awards at December 31, 2014.  If the Committee determined to accelerate, in immediatefull, the vesting of the unvested portion of outstanding restricted stock, stock option and cash-settled SAR awards held by the named executive officers as of a December 31, 2014 termination event, the named executive officers would receive the benefits set forth in the table below.

Name

 

Value of

Acceleration

of Unvested

Restricted

Stock Awards

($)

 

 

Value of

Acceleration

of Unvested

Stock Option

and Cash-

Settled SAR

Awards

($)

 

 

Total Value of Acceleration

of Unvested

Equity

Awards

($)

 

Daniel R. Coker

 

 

1,391,560

 

 

 

2,367,600

 

 

 

3,759,160

 

Barry G. Steele

 

 

878,880

 

 

 

1,183,800

 

 

 

2,062,680

 

Frithjof R. Oldorff

 

 

 

 

 

1,469,200

 

 

 

1,469,200

 

Darren Schumacher

 

 

512,680

 

 

 

998,950

 

 

 

1,511,630

 

Kenneth J. Phillips

 

 

970,430

 

 

 

1,568,350

 

 

 

2,538,780

 

Restricted Stock Awards.  The value of such acceleration is calculated as the closing price of our common stock as quoted on Nasdaq on December 31, 2014, $36.62, multiplied by the number of unvested shares of common stock underlying such awards at December 31, 2014.

Stock Option and Cash-Settled SAR Awards.  The value of such acceleration is calculated as (A) the difference between (i) the closing price of our common stock as quoted on Nasdaq on December 31, 2014, $36.62, and (ii) the exercise or base price of the stock options or cash-settled SARs, (B) multiplied by the immediatenumber of unvested shares of common stock underlying such awards at December 31, 2014; provided, however, that negative amounts are treated as having zero value.

Service Agreements

In 2014, the non-U.S. NEOs were parties to Service Agreements with our German Subsidiary which contemplated payment upon specified termination events.  The U.S. NEOs did not have employment agreements.


Mr. Oldorff.  Mr. Oldorff’s Service Agreement provides for (A) a contract term ending December 31, 2016; (B) an annual base salary of restrictions with respectEUR 350,000, subject to restricted stock issued under each plan. Underperiodic review and increase; (C) eligibility for bonus compensation at the

terms of each plan, the Board of Directors, acting as the committee administering each plan, has full discretion in determining the consequences of such change in control. None of the Company’s plans providesBoard; (D) use of a company-owned vehicle; (v) eligibility for automatic vesting of unvested options or automatic termination of restrictions with respect to restricted stock.

Underequity compensation at the termsdiscretion of the W.E.T. executive officers’ service agreements, upon terminationBoard; and (E) other ancillary benefits typically provided to German executives, such as payment of statutorily required pension and health insurances and life insurance premiums.

In the event the German Subsidiary terminates Mr. Oldorff’s employment an officerwithout cause, Mr. Oldorff is entitled to receive his annual base salary continuedand the ancillary benefits described above through the end of the contract term, which corresponds to approximately $1,600,000 in total, assuming a December 31, 2014 termination event.  In addition, see “–Equity Awards” above for a description of the value of acceleration of unvested equity awards held by Mr. Oldorff as of December 31, 2014.

Mr. Liedl.  Prior to his separation, Mr. Liedl’s Service Agreement provided for (A) an annual base salary of EUR 310,000, subject to periodic review and increase; (B) eligibility for bonus compensation at the discretion of the Board; (C) use of a company-owned vehicle with an automobileacquisition value of up to EUR 80,000; (D) eligibility for equity compensation at the discretion of the Board; and (E) other ancillary benefits typically provided to German executives, such as payment of statutorily required pension and health insurances and payment of life insurance premiums.  Either party was permitted to terminate the agreement upon six months’ prior notice.

Mr. Liedl separated from the Company effective August 31, 2014.  At such time, Mr. Liedl and the German Subsidiary entered into a final bonus based onSeparation Agreement, pursuant to which Mr. Liedl was entitled to receive $422,556 in respect of the remaining service periodexercise of vested cash settled SARs he held as of the effective termination date. Assuming such events occurred effective December 31, 2012, Mr. Baumhauer would receive onedate of separation (see “—Option Exercises and Stock Vested in 2014”) and a half times his annual salary, continued useseverance payment of an automobile for one$529,103, payable in $219,286 on September 30, 2014 and $309,817 on January 15, 2015.


RELATED PERSON TRANSACTIONS

Policies and Procedures

Under SEC rules, a related person transaction is any transaction or series of transactions in which the Company or a subsidiary is a participant, the amount involved exceeds $120,000 and a half years andrelated person has a final bonus, approximately $1,710,000 in total; Mr. Oldorff would receive his annual salary, continued usedirect or indirect material interest. A “related person” is a director, officer, nominee for director or a more than 5% shareholder since the beginning of an automobile for onethe Company’s last completed fiscal year, and any immediate family member of such person.

The Board has adopted a final bonus, approximately $1,000,000 in total; Mr. Liedl would receive one and three quarters times his annual salary, continued use of an automobile for one and three quarters of a year and a final bonus, approximately $1,100,000 in total.

Upon a change in control, assuming the Board of Directors was to exercise its discretion and determine that all restrictionspolicy with respect to proposed related person transactions. In general, all proposed related person transactions must be submitted to the independent directors for approval, and only those related person transactions approved by the independent directors may be consummated. The independent directors are instructed to only approve those transactions that are on terms comparable to, or more beneficial to the Company than, those that could be obtained in arm’s length dealings with an unrelated third party and that are otherwise in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders. If an independent director has any interest in a related person transaction presented for approval, such director must abstain from the vote to approve or not approve the transaction. The policy further requires that all related person transactions be disclosed to the full Board and in our filings with the SEC, to the extent required by SEC rules.

2014 Related Person Transactions

John Marx, the Company’s Vice-President of Business Planning and Advanced Product Commercialization, is the son of Oscar B. Marx, III, Chairman of the Board.  John Marx received the following compensation for his services during 2014: approximately $400,000 in cash compensation (inclusive of 401(k) employer matching contributions), perquisites valued at approximately $3,000, a restricted stock awards would terminateaward for 12,000 shares and all unvesteda stock options would vest,option for 40,000 shares with an exercise price of $26.17 per share, which was equal to the Named Executive Officers would receive the following benefits, assuming such event occurred effective December 31, 2012:

   Restricted
Shares
   Securities Underlying
Unvested Options
     

Name

  Number  of
Securities
   Number  of
Securities
   Option
Exercise
Price
   Estimated Value of
Payments upon a
Change in Control(a)
 

Daniel R. Coker

     60,000    $12.60    $42,000  
   27,500         365,750  

Caspar Baumhauer

   —       —       —       —    

Frithjof Oldorff

   —       —       —       —    

Thomas Liedl

   —       —       —       —    

Barry G. Steele

     30,000     12.60     21,000  
   21,500         285,950  

(a)The values shown for each Named Executive Officer are based on the following assumption: that the benefit of acceleration of the vesting of options equals the difference between the closing sales price of our common shares on December 31, 2012 and the exercise price of the unvested options multiplied by the number of common shares underlying the unvested options held by the executive at December 31, 2012; provided, however, that negative amounts are treated as having zero value.

OTHER MATTERS

If any matters not referred to in this Proxy Statement should properly come before the Annual Meeting, the holders of your proxy will vote your shares in accordance with their judgment. We are not aware of any such matters that may be presented for action at the Annual Meeting. Your proxy may also vote your shares on matters regarding the conduct of the Annual Meeting.

Enclosed with this Proxy Statement is our Annual Report for the year ended December 31, 2012. The Annual Report is enclosed for the convenience of shareholders only and should not be viewed as part of the proxy solicitation material except as expressly incorporated by reference. If any person who was a beneficial ownerfair market value of our common stock on the record date of grant.

Brian Coker, an applications engineer and employee of the Company, is the son of Daniel R. Coker, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer.  Brian Coker received the following compensation for his services during 2014: approximately $117,000 in cash compensation (inclusive of 401(k) employer matching contributions) and perquisites valued at approximately $4,000.

The Compensation Committee and the independent directors reviewed and approved the compensation paid to John Marx and Brian Coker for their services during 2014 in accordance with the policies and procedures described above.


SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

The following table sets forth information regarding the beneficial ownership (as defined in Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act) of our common stock as of April 13, 2015 by (A) each of the directors and named executive officers, (B) all of the directors and executive officers as a group, and (C) to our knowledge, beneficial owners of more than 5% of our common stock. As of April 13, 2015, there were 35,895,322 shares of our common stock outstanding.  Unless otherwise indicated and subject to applicable community property laws, each owner has sole voting and investment powers with respect to the securities listed below.

Name of Beneficial Owner

 

Shares Owned

(1)

 

 

Right to

Acquire

(2)

 

 

Total

 

 

Aggregate

Percent of

Class

 

Lewis Booth (Director)

 

 

5,690

 

 

 

 

 

 

5,690

 

 

*

 

Francois J. Castaing (Director)

 

 

9,163

 

 

 

5,000

 

 

 

14,163

 

 

*

 

Daniel R. Coker (Director, President and CEO)

 

 

81,208

 

 

 

20,000

 

 

 

101,208

 

 

*

 

Sophie Desormière (Director)

 

 

7,677

 

 

 

 

 

 

7,677

 

 

*

 

Maurice E.P. Gunderson (Director)

 

 

9,163

 

 

 

50,000

 

 

 

59,163

 

 

*

 

Oscar B. Marx, III (Chairman of the Board)

 

 

123,275

 

 

 

 

 

 

123,275

 

 

*

 

Carlos E. Mazzorin (Director)

 

 

9,163

 

 

 

10,000

 

 

 

19,163

 

 

*

 

Franz Scherer (Director)

 

 

4,123

 

 

 

 

 

 

4,123

 

 

*

 

Byron T. Shaw II (Director)

 

 

4,123

 

 

 

 

 

 

4,123

 

 

*

 

Barry G. Steele (Vice-President Finance, CFO, Treasurer)

 

 

45,735

 

 

 

10,000

 

 

 

55,735

 

 

*

 

Frithjof R. Oldorff (President Automotive Business Unit)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thomas H. Liedl (Former President Gentherm Technologies)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Darren Schumacher (Vice-President of Product Development)

 

 

22,177

 

 

 

 

 

 

22,177

 

 

*

 

Kenneth J. Phillips (Vice-President, General Counsel and Secretary)

 

 

32,500

 

 

 

10,000

 

 

 

42,500

 

 

*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Executive officers and directors as a group (16 persons)

 

 

389,388

 

 

 

115,000

 

 

 

504,388

 

 

 

1.40

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wells Fargo & Company, et al.(3)

420 Montgomery Street

San Francisco, CA 94104

 

 

3,579,668

 

 

 

 

 

 

3,579,668

 

 

 

9.97

%

The Vanguard Group(4)

100 Vanguard Blvd.

Malvern, PA 19355

 

 

2,170,165

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,170,165

 

 

 

6.05

%

BlackRock, Inc.(5)

55 East 52nd Street

New York, NY  10022

 

 

1,979,355

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,979,355

 

 

 

5.51

%

*

Less than one percent.

(1)

Amounts include the following number of unvested shares of restricted stock as of April 13, 2015: Messrs. Booth, Castaing, Gunderson, Marx, Mazzorin, Scherer, Shaw and Ms. Desormière: 1,323 shares each; Mr. Coker, 50,000 shares; Mr. Steele, 30,000 shares; Mr. Schumacher, 20,000 shares; Mr. Phillips, 32,500 shares; and all executive officers and directors as a group, 176,284 shares.

(2)

Amounts reflect the number of shares that such holder could acquire through the exercise of stock options within 60 days of April 13, 2015.

(3)

Based on Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on February 17, 2015.  Wells Fargo & Company (parent) has sole power to vote and dispose 1,636 shares, shared power to vote 3,255,987 shares and shared power to dispose 3,576,349 shares.  Of such shares, Wells Capital Management Incorporated (subsidiary) has shared power to vote 825,178 shares and shared power to dispose 2,821,508 shares, and Wells Fargo Funds Management, LLC has shared power to vote and dispose 1,966,151 shares.

(4)

Based on Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on February 10, 2015.  This report includes holdings of various subsidiaries of the holding company.  The Vanguard Group, Inc. has sole power to vote 47,353 shares, sole power to dispose 2,125,912 shares and shared power to dispose 44,253 shares.

(5)

Based on Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on February 2, 2015.  This report includes holdings of various subsidiaries of the holding company. BlackRock, Inc. has sole power to vote 1,902,391 shares and sole power to dispose 1,979,355 shares.


AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT

The Board has determined that each member of the Audit Committee is independent under the applicable rules and regulations of Nasdaq and the SEC. The Committee operates under a written charter approved by the Board, which is reviewed annually by the Committee and the Board, and is posted on the Company’s website, www.gentherm.com, under the “About Us” tab.

As described more fully in its charter, the purpose of the Audit Committee is to assist the Board in its general oversight of the Company’s financial reporting and internal control functions, to review our reports filed with or furnished to the SEC that include financial statements or results, to monitor compliance with significant legal and regulatory requirements and other risks related to financial reporting and internal control, and the Committee is directly responsible for the appointment, retention, compensation and oversight of the work of our independent registered public accounting firm, currently Grant Thornton. See “Audit Committee Matters” below for a description of the Committee’s pre-approval policies regarding Grant Thornton’s services. The Committee further has the authority to engage independent advisors as it determines appropriate, apart from counsel or advisors hired by management. Management has the primary responsibility for the preparation, presentation and integrity of the Company’s financial statements, accounting and financial reporting principles, internal controls and compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Grant Thornton is responsible for performing an independent audit of the Company’s consolidated financial statements and the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (U.S.) (“PCAOB”) and for expressing their opinions thereon.

During 2014, among other matters, the Audit Committee:

·

Reviewed and discussed with management and Grant Thornton the unaudited quarterly financial statements included in Form 10-Qs filed with the SEC.

·

Reviewed and discussed with Grant Thornton the overall scope and plans for its audit for 2014.

·

Reviewed and discussed with management and Grant Thornton the audited consolidated financial statements, and Grant Thornton’s opinion thereon, included in the Form 10-K for 2014 filed with the SEC and the 2014 annual report delivered to shareholders.

·

Reviewed and discussed with management its assessment and report, and reviewed and discussed with Grant Thornton its opinion, on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2014.

·

Discussed with Grant Thornton the matters required to be discussed by the Statement on Auditing Standard No. 16, as amended (Communications With Audit Committees).

·

Received the written disclosures and the letter from Grant Thornton required by the applicable requirements of the PCAOB regarding Grant Thornton’s communications with the Committee concerning independence, and discussed with Grant Thornton its independence with respect to the Company, including any relationships which may impact its objectivity and independence and whether the provision of specified non-audit services is compatible with the auditors’ independence under current guidelines.

Based on the foregoing, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board that the audited consolidated financial statements of the Company be included in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for 2014, which was filed with the SEC on March 2, 2015.

Submitted by the Audit Committee:

Lewis Booth, Chairman

Francois Castaing

Franz Scherer


AUDIT COMMITTEE MATTERS

Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures

It is the Audit Committee’s policy and practice to review and approve in advance all services, audit and non-audit, to be rendered by the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm.  In pre-approving such services, the Committee must consider whether the provision of services is consistent with maintaining the independence of the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm.  The Committee does not delegate this responsibility (or any other Committee function) to Company management, except that Mr. Steele has been delegated permission to commit up to $50,000 between Committee meetings for audit-related services only, which must be reported to the Audit Committee no later than the next scheduled Committee meeting.  If a product or service arises that has not been pre-approved by the Committee, the Committee has delegated to the Chairman of the Committee the authority to consider and pre-approve any such product or service between regular meetings of the Committee. Any interim approvals granted by the Chairman of the Committee are reported to the entire Committee at its next regularly scheduled meeting.

Grant Thornton Fees

The following table sets forth the fees we were billed for audit and other services provided by Grant Thornton in 2014 and 2013. All of the services described below were approved in conformity with the Audit Committee’s pre-approval policies and procedures described above.

 

 

2014

($)

 

 

2013

($)

 

Audit Fees(1)

 

 

1,502,000

 

 

 

1,496,000

 

Audit-Related Fees(2)

 

 

88,000

 

 

 

10,000

 

Tax Fees(3)

 

 

5,000

 

 

 

 

All Other Fees(4)

 

 

16,000

 

 

 

15,000

 

Total Fees

 

 

1,611,000

 

 

 

1,521,000

 

(1)

Audit fees in 2014 and 2013 consisted of fees related to the annual audit of our financial statements, the audit of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, the review of quarterly financial statements and for services provided in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements.

(2)

Audit-related fees consisted of: (A) in 2014, fees related to the audit of our subsidiary’s Canadian pension plan, the audit of foreign exchange computations for functional currency determinations at our Hungarian subsidiary and the audit of the opening balance sheet of our newly-acquired subsidiary in Calgary, Canada; and (B) in 2013, fees related to the audit of our subsidiary’s Canadian pension plan.

(3)

Tax fees in 2014 consisted of fees related to tax returns in Korea.

(3)

All other fees in 2014 and 2013 consisted of fees related to a U.S. Department of Energy-mandated audit of our government-sponsored research and development program.


PROPOSAL NO. 2—RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM FOR 2015

In accordance with applicable law, the Audit Committee has ultimate authority and responsibility to appoint, compensate, evaluate and, when appropriate, replace our independent registered public accounting firm. In 2015, the Committee reappointed Grant Thornton to be our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2015. See “Audit Committee Report” and “Audit Committee Matters” for additional information on Grant Thornton’s services provided to us in 2014.

As the Audit Committee has responsibility for the appointment of our independent registered public accounting firm, your ratification of the appointment of Grant Thornton is not necessary. However, the Committee will take your vote on this proposal into consideration when appointing our independent registered public accounting firm in the future. Even if the shareholders ratify the appointment of Grant Thornton, the Committee may in its sole discretion terminate the engagement of Grant Thornton and direct the appointment of another independent auditor at any time during the year, although it has no current intent to do so.

Representatives of Grant Thornton will attend the annual meeting, will have the opportunity to make a statement, if they desire to do so.

The Board recommends that you vote FOR the ratification of the Audit Committee’s appointment of Grant Thornton LLP

as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2015.


PROPOSAL NO . 3—ADVISORY VOTE ON NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICER COMPENSATION

The Board proposes that shareholders provide advisory (non-binding) approval of the compensation of our named executive officers, as disclosed in this proxy statement in accordance with SEC rules (commonly known as a “say-on-pay” proposal). We recognize the interest our shareholders have in the compensation of our executives and we are providing this advisory proposal in recognition of that interest and as required by Section 14 of the Exchange Act.

In a non-binding advisory vote on the frequency of the say-on-pay proposal held at our 2011 annual meeting of shareholders, shareholders voted in favor of holding say-on-pay votes annually. In light of this result and other factors considered by the Board, the Board determined that the Company would hold advisory say-on-pay votes on an annual basis until the next required advisory vote on such frequency. The next advisory say-on-pay vote will occur at our 2016 annual meeting of shareholders.

As described in detail under the heading “Compensation Discussion and Analysis,” our compensation program is designed to attract, motivate, and retain our named executive officers who are critical to our success, and to ensure alignment of the interests of such persons with our shareholders. Under this program, our named executive officers are rewarded for their service to the Company, the achievement of specific performance goals and the realization of increased shareholder value. We believe our compensation programs also are structured appropriately to support our business objectives, as well as to support our culture. The Compensation Committee regularly reviews the compensation programs for our named executive officers to ensure the fulfillment of our compensation philosophy and goals.

Please read the “Compensation Discussion and Analysis,” beginning on page 16, and the “Named Executive Officer Compensation Tables,” beginning on page 26, for additional details about our named executive officer compensation program, including information related to the compensation determinations for 2014.

We are asking our shareholders to indicate their support for our named executive officer compensation as described in this proxy statement. This vote is not intended to address any specific item of compensation, but rather the overall compensation of our named executive officers and the philosophy, policies and practices described in this proxy statement. Accordingly, we will ask our shareholders to vote “FOR” the following resolution at the 2015 annual meeting:

“RESOLVED, that the Company’s shareholders approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of the named executive officers, as disclosed in the Company’s Proxy Statement for the 2015 Annual Meeting desiresof Shareholders pursuant to the compensation disclosure rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Compensation Discussion and Analysis, the Summary Compensation Table and the other related tables and disclosure.”

The say-on-pay vote is advisory, and therefore not binding on the Company, the Compensation Committee or the Board. We value the opinions of our shareholders and to the extent there is any significant vote against the compensation of our named executive officers as disclosed in this proxy statement, we will consider our shareholders’ concerns and the Committee will evaluate whether any actions are necessary to address those concerns.

The Board recommends a vote FOR the approval of the compensation of our named executive officers, as disclosed in

this proxy statement pursuant to the rules of the SEC.


PROPOSAL NO. 4—APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE RESTATED ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION TO ELIMINATE CUMULATIVE VOTING IN DIRECTOR ELECTIONS

The Board believes that each director should represent the interests of all shareholders, rather than the interests of a minority shareholder or limited constituency.  In addition, in early 2014 we adopted a majority voting policy consistent with best governance practices, and cumulative voting is incompatible with such policy.  Therefore and as further discussed below, the Board believes that it is in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders to eliminate cumulative voting.  Attached hereto as Appendix A is a copy of the form of the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation (our “Articles”), which reflects the proposed deletion of Article VIII thereof and de minimis conforming changes in bold/underline or bold/strikethrough for the purpose of eliminating cumulative voting.

Under Michigan law, shareholders do not have the right to cumulatively vote their shares in any election of directors unless a company’s articles of incorporation grant such right.  Article VIII of our Articles currently authorizes cumulative voting at a meeting of shareholders at which directors are to be elected, provided that (A) the nominees’ names have been placed in nomination prior to commencement of the voting and (B) a shareholder who intends to cumulate votes gives timely notice to the Company.  If a shareholder complies with the foregoing, then each shareholder is entitled to as many votes as equals the number of directors to be elected multiplied by the number of votes to which such shareholder’s shares are entitled.  A shareholder may cast all such votes for a single director or distribute such votes among as many candidates who have been properly nominated.

In February 2015, the Board voted unanimously to submit for shareholder approval a proposed amendment to our Articles that would eliminate cumulative voting in director elections (the “Amendment”).  The Board noted the following considerations, among others:

·

Cumulative voting is incompatible with the objectives of our majority voting policy.  Pursuant to the majority voting policy adopted by the Board in early 2014, in uncontested director elections, any director nominee who receives a greater number of votes “withheld” than votes “for” his or her election must promptly tender his or her resignation, conditioned on Board acceptance.

Notwithstanding that our majority voting policy does not apply if cumulative voting rights are exercised with respect to a particular director election, the two concepts are incompatible and we believe majority voting best protects the interests of all of our shareholders.  While our majority voting policy seeks to hold directors accountable to the holders of a majority of the shares voting, cumulative voting allows shareholders with less than a majority of the shares to determine the election of certain directors.

·

Cumulative voting may impair the ability of the Board to act in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders.  Cumulative voting permits a small minority of shareholders to guarantee the election of a director, even if a significant majority of the shareholders are opposed to the election of such director.  This gives the minority disproportionate influence in director elections and permits the advancement of special interests of a small minority of shareholders at the expense of the general interests of all shareholders.  The Board believes that each director should represent the interests of all shareholders.  The election of directors who view themselves as representing a particular minority shareholder could result in partisanship and discord on the Board, and may impair the ability of the directors to act in the best interests of the Company and all of its shareholders, on a timely basis or at all.  Specifically, votes of approximately 11% of the shares would be sufficient to obtain Board representation contrary to the will of a vast majority of shareholders.

·

These concerns are especially magnified in our case, given the size and structure of the Board.  We currently have nine directors, all of whom are elected annually.  Combined with the majority voting policy, there should be no concern of director entrenchment.  Further, with annual say-on-pay votes, there are numerous ways to express any shareholder discontent with directors.

·

The cumulative voting procedure is overly complicated to implement and not historically used by our shareholders.  Since timely notice for cumulative voting may generally be made up until 30 days prior to an annual meeting, there is a reasonable likelihood that the exercise of cumulative voting rights could require us to delay an annual meeting, resulting in additional costs and management time.  In addition, our Articles have permitted cumulative voting, subject to timely notice, since our incorporation in 1991.  To date, no shareholder has provided timely notice of an intention to cumulate votes in director elections.


The proposed Amendment would eliminate cumulative voting by deleting Article VIII of our Articles.  If approved, the Amendment would become effective upon filing of a certificate of amendment to our Articles with the State of Michigan promptly following the shareholder vote, and cumulative voting would not be permitted in elections of directors commencing with the 2016 annual meeting of shareholders.  In addition, if our shareholders approve the Amendment, the Board would amend our Bylaws promptly thereafter to make necessary conforming changes to reflect the elimination of cumulative voting therein.

The Board recommends a vote FOR the approval of the proposed Amendment to the Restated Articles of Incorporation

to eliminate cumulative voting in director elections.


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Equity Compensation Plans

The following table sets forth certain information as of December 31, 2014 concerning our equity compensation plans:

Plan category

 

Number of securities to

be issued

upon exercise of

outstanding options,

warrants and rights

(a)

 

 

Weighted-average

exercise

price of outstanding

options, warrants and

rights

(b)

 

 

Number of securities

remaining  available

for future issuance

under equity

compensation plans

(excluding securities

reflected in column (a))

(c)

 

 

Equity compensation plans approved by security holders

 

 

1,861,618

(1)

 

$

19.11

(2)

 

 

2,188,000

(3)

 

Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

 

1,861,618

 

 

$

19.11

 

 

 

2,188,000

 

 

(1)

Consists of the following: (A) outstanding options for 917,500 shares of common stock and 174,584 outstanding shares of restricted stock under the 2013 Equity Incentive Plan; (B) outstanding options for 279,750 shares of common stock and 2,500 outstanding shares of restricted stock under the 2011 Equity Incentive Plan; (C) outstanding options for 427,284 shares of common stock under the 2006 Equity Incentive Plan; and (D) outstanding options for 60,000 shares of common stock under the Amended and Restated 1997 Stock Incentive Plan.

(2)

Excludes restricted stock, which has no exercise price.

(3)

Consists of shares of common stock that may be issued pursuant to stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance share awards and other stock-based awards under the 2013 Equity Incentive Plan; provided, however, that to the extent awards are made in the form of full-value shares, such as restricted stock, the number of shares available for future issuance is reduced by 1.58 multiplied by the number of shares awarded.  No additional shares may be issued pursuant to awards under the 2011 Equity Incentive Plan, the 2006 Equity Incentive Plan, or the Amended and Restated 1997 Stock Incentive Plan.

Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires our directors, our executive officers and persons who beneficially own more than 10% of a registered class of our equity securities (“insiders”) to file reports with the SEC regarding their pecuniary interest in our equity securities and any changes thereto, and to furnish copies of these reports to us. Based on our review of the insiders’ forms furnished to us or filed with the SEC and representations made by the directors and applicable executive officers, no insider failed to file on a timely basis a Section 16(a) report in 2014.

Solicitation by Board; Expenses

We will bear the entire cost of preparing, assembling, and mailing the proxy materials. We may supplement our solicitation of proxies by mail with telephone, e-mail or personal solicitation by our officers or other regular employees. In such case, we would expect our Chief Executive Officer and/or Chief Financial Officer to oversee such supplemental solicitation. We will not pay any additional compensation to any of our employees for their supplemental solicitation services. We have requested banks, brokers and other nominees to forward the proxy materials to, and to obtain proxies from, the beneficial owners and we will reimburse such record holders for their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses in doing so upon request.

Requirements for Submission of Shareholder Proposals and Nominations for 2016 Annual Report, they will be furnished without charge upon receipt of a written request. The request should identify the person making the request asMeeting

Under SEC rules, if a shareholder aswants us to include a proposal in our proxy statement and form of proxy for presentation at our 2016 annual meeting of shareholders (pursuant to Rule 14a-8 of the record date and shouldExchange Act), the proposal must be directed to Kenneth J. Phillips,received by us at our principal executive offices (Corporate Secretary, of Gentherm Incorporated, 21680 Haggerty Road, Suite 101, Northville, Michigan 48167.MI 48167) by the close of business on December 29, 2015.  As the rules of the SEC make clear, simply submitting a proposal does not guarantee that it will be included.


ThisAny shareholder director nomination or proposal of other business intended to be presented for consideration at the 2016 annual meeting, but not intended to be considered for inclusion in our proxy statement incorporatesand form of proxy relating to such meeting (i.e. not pursuant to Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act), must be received by us at the address stated above not less than 90 days and not more than 120 days before the first anniversary of the date of the 2015 annual meeting. Therefore, such notice must be received between January 29, 2016 and the close of business on February 26, 2016 to be considered timely. However, if our 2016 annual meeting occurs more than 30 days before or 60 days after May 28, 2016, we must receive nominations or proposals (A) not later than the close of business on the later of the 90th day prior to the date of the 2016 annual meeting or the 10th day following the day on which public announcement is made of the date of the 2016 annual meeting, and (B) not earlier than the 120th day prior to the 2016 annual meeting.

The above-mentioned proposals must also be in compliance with our Bylaws and the proxy solicitation rules of the SEC and Nasdaq, including but not limited to the information requirements set forth in our Bylaws. We reserve the right to reject, rule out of order or take other appropriate action with respect to any proposal that does not comply with the foregoing and other applicable requirements.

Householding

The Company has elected to send a single copy of its annual report and this proxy statement to any household at which two or more shareholders reside unless one of the shareholders at such address provides notice that he or she desires to receive individual copies.  This “householding” practice reduces the Company’s printing and postage costs.  Shareholders may request to discontinue or re-start householding, or request a separate copy of the 2014 annual report and 2015 proxy statement, as follows:

·

If you hold your common shares through a bank, broker or other nominee, you should contact such record holder directly.

·

If you are a shareholder of record, you should contact Computershare, P.O. Box 30170, College Station, TX 77842-3170 or (800) 962-4284.

Availability of 2014 Annual Report to Shareholders

SEC rules require us to provide a copy of our 2014 annual report to shareholders who receive this proxy statement. Our 2014 annual report to shareholders includes our annual report on Form 10-K for 2014 (including certain exhibits). We will also provide copies of our 2014 annual report to shareholders, and to brokers, dealers, banks, voting trustees and their nominees for the benefit of beneficial owners. Additional copies of the 2014 annual report to shareholders (excluding certain exhibits or documents incorporated by reference information fromin our annual report on Form 10-K filed byfor 2014) are available to shareholders at no charge upon written request to: Corporate Secretary, Gentherm Incorporated, for21680 Haggerty Road, Suite 101, Northville, MI 48167 or on our website, www.gentherm.com, under the year ended December 31, 2012.“Investor Relations – Financial Reports” tab.

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the

Shareholder Meeting to be Held on May 16, 201328, 2015

The 20132015 proxy statement and 20122014 annual report are available at www.edocumentview.com/THRM.

Your cooperation in giving this matter your immediate attention and in voting your proxies promptly is appreciated.

 

By Order of the Board of Directors

Daniel R. Coker

PresidentKenneth J. Phillips

Vice-President, General Counsel and Chief Executive OfficerSecretary

April 22, 2013


Appendix A

FORM OF AMENDED AND RESTATED
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION

OF

GENTHERM INCORPORATED

2013 Equity Incentive Plana Michigan corporation

1. Definitions. As used herein,Pursuant to the provisions of Act 284, Public Acts of 1972, the undersigned executes the following definitionsArticles:

1.

The present name of the corporation is: Gentherm Incorporated

2.

The identification number assigned by the Bureau is: 545-27C

3.

The former name(s) of the corporation are:

Amerigon Incorporated

Amerigon Michigan, Inc.

4.

The date of filing the original Articles of Incorporation was: March 23, 2005

The following Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation supersede the Restated Articles of Incorporation as amended and shall apply:be the Articles of Incorporation for the corporation:

(a) “Award” meansARTICLE I

The name of the Corporation is: GENTHERM INCORPORATED.

ARTICLE II

The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any stock option, stock appreciation right, restricted stock, restricted stock unit, performance share awardlawful act or other stock-based award grantedactivity for which corporations may be organized under the Plan.Michigan Business Corporation Act.

(b) “Board” meansARTICLE III

A. The total number of shares which the Gentherm Incorporatedcorporation is authorized to issue is 59,991,000, of which 55,000,000 shall be Common Stock, without par value, and 4,991,000 shall be Preferred Stock, without par value.

B. The Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series. The Board of Directors.

(c) “Committee” means a committee consistingDirectors is authorized to fix the number of twoshares of any series of Preferred Stock and to determine the designation of any such series. The Board of Directors is also authorized to determine or more membersalter the voting and other rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions granted to or imposed upon any wholly unissued series of Preferred Stock and, within the limits and restrictions stated in any resolution or resolutions of the Board each of whom (1)Directors originally fixing the number of shares constituting any series, to increase or decrease (but not below the number of shares of such series then outstanding) the number of shares of any such series subsequent to the issue of shares of that series.

C. Intentionally Omitted.

D. The Board hereby designates 25,000 shares of the Corporation’s Preferred Stock as “Series B Preferred Stock”, with the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions set forth below.

1. DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS.

(a) Subject to the prior and superior rights of the holders of any shares of any class or series of stock of this Corporation ranking prior and superior to the Series B Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock, in preference to the holders of common stock (the “Common Stock”) of the Corporation, and of any other stock ranking junior to the Series B Preferred Stock, shall be an “outside director”entitled to receive, when, as defined under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and the Treasury Regulations thereunder, and (2) may be a “non-employee director” as defined under Rule 16b-3 of the Rules and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any similar or successor provision, as appointedif declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the first day of March, June, September and December in each year (each such date being referred to administerherein as a “Quarterly Dividend Payment Date”), commencing on the Plan. Infirst Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the absencefirst issuance of any actiona share or fraction of a share of Series B Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $1.00 or (b) subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 1,000 times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 1,000 times the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other distributions, other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or a subdivision of the Board tooutstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise), declared on the contrary,Common Stock since the Compensation Committee of the Board shall comprise the Committee.

(d) “Corporation” means Gentherm Incorporated, a Michigan corporation,immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or, any successor thereof.

(e) “Discretion” means in the sole discretion of the Committee, with no requirement whatsoever that the Committee follow past practices, act in a manner consistent with past practices, or treat a Participant (as hereinafter defined) in a manner consistent with the treatment afforded other Participants with respect to the Plan, which may be set forth in a written grant agreementfirst Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or otherwise.

(f) “409A Award” means any Award that is treated as a deferral of compensation subject to the requirements of Section 409A of the Code.

(g) “Incentive Option” means an option to purchase Common Stock of the Corporation which meets the requirements set forth in the Plan and also meets the definition of an incentive stock option set forth in Section 422 of the Code.

(h) “Nonqualified Option” means an option to purchase Common Stock of the Corporation which meets the requirements set forth in the Plan but does not meet the definition of an incentive stock option set forth in Section 422 of the Code.

(i) “Other stock-based award” means any right granted under Paragraph 20 of the Plan.

(j) “Participant” means any individual or class of individual designated by the Committee under Paragraph 6 for participation in the Plan who is or becomes (i) a key employee (including an officer or director who is also a key employee) of the Corporation or any Subsidiary, (ii) a director of the Corporation who is not also an employee of the Corporation or any Subsidiary (hereinafter sometimes referred to as an “outside director”), and (iii) a consultant or advisor of the Corporation or any Subsidiary.

(k) “Performance share” means a grant of Common Stock of the Corporation upon the attainment of one or more performance goals during a performance period established by the Committee, as provided in Paragraph 19.

(l) “Plan” means this Gentherm Incorporated 2013 Equity Incentive Plan.

(m) “Restricted stock” means a grant of Common Stock of the Corporation which is subject to restrictions against transfer, forfeiture and such other terms and conditions determined by the Committee, as provided in Paragraph 18.

(n) “Restricted stock unit” means a grant of a right to earn the valuefraction of a share of Series B Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend


on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Corporation which is subject to restrictions against transfer, forfeiture and such other terms and conditions determinedoutstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by the Committee, as provided in Paragraph 18.

(o) “Stock appreciation right” means a right to receive the appreciation in value, or a portion of the appreciation in value,payment of a specifieddividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of the Common Stock, of the Corporation, as providedthen in Paragraph 12.

(p) “Subsidiary” means any corporation, limited liability company, partnership or any other entity in which the Corporation owns, directly or indirectly, stock or other ownership interest therein, possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of all classes of stock or other ownership interest.

2. Purpose of Plan. The purpose of the Plan is to provide key employees (including officers and directors who are also key employees), outside directors, consultants and advisors of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries with incentives to make significant and extraordinary contributions to the long-term performance and growth of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries, to join the interests of key employees, outside directors, consultants and advisors with the interests of the shareholders of the Corporation, and to facilitate attracting and retaining key employees, outside directors, consultants and advisors with exceptional abilities.

3. Administration. The Plan shall be administered by the Committee provided that the Board may exercise all of the Committee’s powers, authority and obligations under this Plan (and any grant agreement) at any time, in whole or in part, in the Board’s discretion. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall determine, from those who are or become eligible to be Participants under the Plan, the persons or class of persons to be granted Awards, the type of Awards andeach such case the amount or maximum amount of stock or rights covered by Awards to be granted to each such person or class of person, and the terms and conditions of any Awards. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee is authorized to: grant awards; determine the rights of Participants with respect to an Award upon any termination of service; determine whether, and to what extent, and under what circumstances an Award may be settled, cancelled, forfeited, exchanged or surrendered; accelerate the vesting of any Award; interpret the Plan; promulgate, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to the Plan; and make all other determinations necessary or advisable for its administration. Interpretation and construction of any provision of the Plan by the Committee (or the Board) shall be final and conclusive. A majority of the Committee shall constitute a quorum, and the acts approved by a majority of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is present, or acts approved in writing by a majority of the Committee, shall be the acts of the Committee.

4. Indemnification of Committee Members. In addition to such other rights of indemnification as they may have, the members of the Committee shall be indemnified by the Corporation against the reasonable expenses, including attorneys’ fees, actually and necessarily incurred in connection with the defense of any action, suit or proceeding, or in connection with any appeal therein, to which they or any of them may be a party by reason of any action taken or failure to act under or in connection with the Plan or any Award granted hereunder, and against all amounts paid by them in settlement thereof (provided such settlement is approved by the Board or paid by them in satisfaction of a judgment in any such action, suit or proceeding, except in relation to matters as to which it shall be determined in such action, suit or proceeding that such Committee member has acted in bad faith); provided, however, that within sixty (60) days after receipt of notice of institution of any such action, suit or proceeding, a Committee member shall offer the Corporation in writing the opportunity, at its own cost, to handle and defend the same.

5. Maximum Number of Shares Subject to Plan; Share Usage.

(a) The maximum numberholders of shares of stock which may be issued pursuantSeries B Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to Awards grantedsuch event under the Plan or with respect to which Awards may be granted under the Plan shall not exceed in the aggregate the sum of (i) 3,500,000 shares of Common Stockclause (b) of the Corporation, plus (ii)preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of the Corporation that, as of the effective date of the Plan are subject to awards granted under the Gentherm

Incorporated 2006 Equity Incentive Plan or the 2011 Equity Incentive Plan and that, on or after the effective date of the Plan, expire or are terminated, surrendered or canceled without the delivery of any shares of Stock in the case of options, or are forfeited or required by the Corporation, in accordance with the terms of the relevant plan, in the case of unvested restricted stock awards (in each case, subject to adjustments as provided in this Paragraph 5) (the “Share Limit”).

(b) Awards of restricted stock, restricted stock units, unrestricted stock, and dividend equivalents (including performance shares and performance units) payable in shares of Common Stock shall count against the Share Limit as1.58 shares of Common Stock for each share of Common Stock covered by such Awards. Awards of Incentive Options, Nonqualified Options, and stock appreciation rights shall count against the Share Limit as1.00 share of Common Stock for each share of Common Stock covered by such Awards. The full number of shares of Common Stock subject to an option or stock appreciation right shall count against the Share Limit, even if the exercise price of the such option or stock appreciation rightwhich is satisfied in whole or in part through net-settlement or by delivering shares of Common Stock to the Corporation (by either actual delivery or attestation). Shares of Common Stock issued or to be issued under the Plan shall be authorized but unissued Common Stock or issued Common Stock that has been reacquired by the Corporation or a Subsidiary or affiliate of the Corporation. If any Common Stock covered by an Award is not purchased or is forfeited, or if an Award otherwise terminates without delivery of Common Stock subject thereto, then the number of shares of Common Stock relatedthat were outstanding immediately prior to such Awardevent.

(b) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the Series B Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (a) of this Section 1 immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); provided that, in the event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common Stock during the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and subjectthe next subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $1.00 per share on the Series B Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable on such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.

(c) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares, unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series B Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.

2. VOTING RIGHTS. The holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:

(a) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, each share of Series B Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to 1,000 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such forfeitureevent shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

(b) Except as otherwise provided herein, in the Articles of Incorporation, in any other Certificate of Designations creating a series of Preferred Stock or terminationany similar stock, or by law, the holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock and any other capital stock of the Corporation having general voting rights shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation.

(c) Except as set forth herein, or as otherwise provided by law, holders of Series B Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and their consent shall not be counted againstrequired (except to the limitextent they are entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth above (or includedherein) for purposestaking any corporate action.

3. CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS.

(a) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions payable on the Series B Preferred Stock as provided in Section 1 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series B Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Corporation shall not:

(i) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series B Preferred Stock;

(ii) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series B Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series B Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are then entitled;

(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration shares of any stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series B Preferred Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such junior stock in exchange for shares of any stock of the calculationCorporation ranking junior (both as to dividends and upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series B Preferred Stock; or


(iv) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of Series B Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking on a parity with the Series B Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders of such shares upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences of the respective Series and classes, shall determine will result in fair and equitable treatment among the respective series or classes.

(b) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (a) of this Section 3, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.

4. REACQUIRED SHARES. Any shares of Series B Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever shall be retired and canceled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein, in the proviso, above), butArticles of Incorporation, or in any other Certificate of Designations creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock or as otherwise required by law.

5. LIQUIDATION, DISSOLUTION OR WINDING UP.

(a) Upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, voluntary or otherwise, no distribution shall again be availablemade (1) to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series B Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall have received an amount per share (the “Series B Liquidation Preference”) equal to $1,000 per share, plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment, provided that the holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive an aggregate amount per share, subject to the provision for making Awardsadjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 1,000 times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of shares of Common Stock, or (2) to the holders of shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series B Preferred Stock, except distributions made ratably on the Series B Preferred Stock and all such parity stock in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are entitled upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the aggregate amount to which holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under the Plan. Notwithstandingproviso in clause (1) of the foregoing, therepreceding sentence shall not be added back toadjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the Share Limit: (x)numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that are subjectoutstanding immediately prior to an option or a share-settled stock appreciation right (including those stock appreciation rightssuch event.

(b) In the event, however, that may be settled in either shares or cash) andthere are not issued upon the net settlement or net exercise of option or stock appreciation right; (y) shares of Common Stock deliveredsufficient assets available to or withheld by the Corporation or a subsidiary or affiliatepermit payment in full of the Corporation to pay the exercise price or the withholding taxes under options or stock appreciation rights; or (z) shares of Stock repurchased on the open market with the proceeds of an Option exercise.

(c) Any shares that are delivered by the Corporation, and any awards or grants that are made by, or become obligations of, the Corporation through the assumption by the Corporation or a Subsidiary of, or in substitution for, outstanding awards or grants previously made by an acquired company, shall not be counted against the number of shares available under the Plan. Consistent with the purpose of the Plan and with a view to avoiding over or under counting, the Committee shall, in its Discretion, determine the number of shares to charge against the shares remaining available under the Plan as a result of the grant or settlement of Awards made under the Plan.

(d) The number of shares with respect to each outstanding Award, the option price with respect to outstanding stock options, the grant value with respect to outstanding stock appreciation rights, the aggregate number of shares available at any time under the Plan,Series B Liquidation Preference and the maximum number of shares with respect to which Awards may be made to an individual Participant during the term of the Plan shall be subject to such adjustment as the Committee, in its Discretion, deems appropriate to reflect such events as stock dividends, stock splits, recapitalizations, mergers, consolidations or reorganizations of or by the Corporation; provided, however, that no fractional shares shall be issued pursuant to the Plan, no Awards may be granted under the Plan with respect to fractional shares, and any fractional shares resulting from such adjustments shall be eliminated from any outstanding Award.

6. Participants. The Committee shall determine and designate from time to time, in its Discretion, those individuals who are or who become key employees (including officers and directors who are also key employees), outside directors, consultants or advisors of the Corporation or any Subsidiary to receive Awards who, in the judgment of the Committee, are or will become responsible for the direction and financial success of the Corporation or any Subsidiary. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee may authorize in advance the grant of Awards to individuals or classes of individuals who are not at the time of Committee authorization,

but who subsequently become, key employees, outside directors, consultants or advisors of the Corporation or any Subsidiary; provided, however, that (i) for all purposes of the Plan, the date of grant of any Award made to an individual pursuant to such authorization shall be no earlier than the date on which such individual becomes an employee, outside director, consultant or advisor of the Corporation or any Subsidiary, and (ii) such authorization shall prescribe the principal terms or range of terms of the Awards that may be made to such individuals or classes of individuals including, without limitation, the type or types of Awards and the number or maximum number of shares to be covered by such Awards.

7. Written Agreement. Each Award granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by a written grant agreement between the Corporation and the Participant which shall contain such provisions as may be approved by the Committee. The written grant agreement may be in an electronic medium, may be limited to a notation on the Company’s books and records and, if approved by the Committee, need not be signed by a representative of the Company or a Participant. Such agreements shall constitute binding contracts between the Corporation and the Participant, and every Participant, upon acceptance of such agreement, shall be bound by the terms and restrictions of the Plan and of such agreement. The terms of each such agreement shall be in accordance with the Plan, but the agreements may include such additional provisions and restrictions determined by the Committee, provided that such additional provisions and restrictions do not violate the terms of the Plan.

8. Allotment of Shares. Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Committee shall determine and fix, in its Discretion, the number or maximum number of shares with respect to which each Participant may be granted Awards and such determination shall be set forth in the grant agreement; provided, however, that no Incentive Option may be granted under the Plan to any one Participant which would result in the aggregate fair market value, determined as of the date the option is granted, of underlying stock with respect to which Incentive Options are exercisable for the first time by such Participant during any calendar year under any plan maintained by the Corporation (or any parent or Subsidiary of the Corporation) exceeding $100,000.

9. Stock Options. Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Committee, in its Discretion, may grant to Participants either Incentive Options, Nonqualified Options or any combination thereof; provided, however, that an Incentive Option may only be granted to an employee of the Corporation or a Subsidiary, and in the case of a Subsidiary only if (i) the Subsidiary is treated as a disregarded entity owned by the Corporation, or (ii) the Subsidiary is a corporation (or is treated as a disregarded entity owned by a corporation) fifty percent or more of the combined voting powerliquidation preferences of all other classes of stock of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Corporation. Each option granted under the Plan shall designate whether such option is intended to be an Incentive Option or Nonqualified Option, the number of shares covered thereby, the price per share for which the shares covered by such option may be purchased, the date on which such option was granted, the expiration date of such option, and such other terms as determined by the Committee in its Discretion.

10. Stock Option Price. The Committee, in its Discretion, shall establish the price per share for which the shares covered by the option may be purchased, which price shall be set forth in the grant agreement. With respect to an Incentive Option, such option price shall not be less than 100%series of the fair market value of the stock on the date on which such option is granted; provided, however, that with respect to an Incentive Option granted to a Participant who at the time of the grant owns (after applying the attribution rules of Section 424(d) of the Code) more than 10% of the total combined voting stock of the Corporation, if any, that rank on a parity with the Series B Preferred Stock in respect thereof, then the assets available for such distribution shall be distributed ratably to the holders of the Series B Preferred Stock and the holders of such parity shares in proportion to their respective liquidation preferences.

(c) Neither the merger or consolidation of the Corporation into or with another corporation nor the merger or consolidation of any parentother corporation into or Subsidiary,with the option priceCorporation shall not be less than 110%deemed to be a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the fair market valueCorporation within the meaning of this Section 5.

6. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, ETC. In case the stock on the date such option is granted. With respect to a Nonqualified Option, the option priceCorporation shall not be less than 100% of the fair market value of the stock on the date such option is granted. Fair market value of a share shall be determined by the Committee as permitted in Treas. Reg. §1.409A-1(b)(5)(iv), and may be determined by taking the mean between the highest and lowest quoted selling prices of the Corporation’s stock onenter into any exchangeconsolidation, merger, combination or other market ontransaction in which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case each share of Series B Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or changed into an amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 1,000 times the aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or change of shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

7. NO REDEMPTION. The shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable by the Company.

8. RANK. The Series B Preferred Stock shall rank, with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, junior to all series of any other class of the Corporation’s Preferred Stock, except to the extent that any such other series specifically provides that it shall rank on a parity with or junior to the Series B Preferred Stock.


9. AMENDMENT. At any time any shares of Series B Preferred Stock are outstanding, the Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation shall not be amended in any manner which would materially alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series B Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock, voting separately as a single class.

10. FRACTIONAL SHARES. Series B Preferred Stock may be issued in fractions of a share that shall entitle the holder, in proportion to such holder’s fractional shares, to exercise voting rights, receive dividends, participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all other rights of holders of Series B Preferred Stock.

ARTICLE IV

The address of the registered office is 21680 Haggerty Road, Suite 101, Northville, Michigan 48167. The mailing address of the registered office is the same as above. The name of the resident agent is Barry Steele.

ARTICLE V

Intentionally omitted.

ARTICLE VI

Any action required or permitted by the Michigan Business Corporation Act to be taken at an annual or special meeting of shareholders may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice, and without a vote, if consents in writing setting forth the action so taken, are signed by the holders of outstanding shares having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take the action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote on the action were present and voted. The written consents shall bear the date of signature of each shareholder who signs the consent. No written consents shall be effective to take the corporate action referred to unless, within 60 days after the record date for determining shareholders entitled to express consent or to dissent from a proposal without a meeting, written consents dated not more than 10 days before the record date and signed by a sufficient number of shareholders to take the action are delivered to the Corporation. Delivery shall be to the Corporation’s registered office, its principal place of business, or an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the minutes of the proceedings of its shareholders. Delivery made to a Corporation’s registered office shall be by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested. Prompt notice of the taking of the corporate action without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent shall be given to shareholders who would have been entitled to notice of the shareholder meeting if the action had been taken at a meeting and who have not consented in writing. An electronic transmission consenting to an action is a written, signed and dated consent for purposes of this section to the extent permitted by the Business Corporation Act of Michigan.

ARTICLE VII

To the full extent permitted by the Michigan Business Corporation Act or any other applicable laws presently or hereafter in effect, no director of the Corporation shall be traded onpersonally liable to the Corporation or its shareholders for or with respect to any acts or omissions in the performance of his or her duties as a director of the Corporation. Any repeal or modification of this Article VII shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director of the Corporation existing immediately prior to, or for or with respect to, any acts or omissions occurring before such daterepeal or if theremodification. This Corporation is authorized to indemnify officers, employees or agents of this Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by the Michigan Business Corporation Act or any other applicable laws presently or hereafter in effect.

ARTICLE VIII

At a meeting of shareholders at which directors are to be elected, no sales onshareholder shall be entitled to cumulate votes (i.e., cast for any one or more candidates a number of votes greater than the number of such date,shareholder’s shares). unless the candidates’ names have been placed in nomination prior to commencement of the voting and a shareholder has given notice prior to commencement of the voting of such shareholder’s intention to cumulate votes. If any shareholder has given such a notice, every shareholder entitled to vote may cumulate votes for candidates in the number of directors to be elected multiplied by the number of votes to which such shareholder’s shares are entitled or distribute such shareholder’s votes on the next precedingsame principle among any or following day on which there are sales. The option priceall of the candidates as the shareholder thinks fit. In the election of directors, the candidates receiving the highest number of votes, up to the number of directors to be elected, shall be subject to adjustmentelected.

These Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation were duly adopted on the ____ day of___, 2015, in accordance with the provisions of Paragraph 5Section 642 of the Plan.

11. Payment of Stock Option Price. At the timeAct: (check one of the exercise in whole or in partfollowing)


o by the Board of any stock option granted hereunder, paymentDirectors without a vote of the option price in full in cash or, with the consentshareholders. These Restated Articles of the Committee, in Common Stock of the Corporation, shall be made by the Participant for all shares so purchased. In the Discretion of,Incorporation only restate and subject to such conditions as may be established by, the Committee, payment of the option price may also be made by the Corporation retaining from the shares to be delivered upon exercise of the stock option that number of shares having a fair market value on the date of exercise equal to the option price of the number of shares with respect to which the Participant exercises the option. In the Discretion of the Committee, a Participant may exercise an option, if then exercisable, in whole or in part, by delivery to the Corporation of written notice of the exercise in such form as the Committee may prescribe, accompanied by irrevocable instructions to a stock broker to promptly deliver to the Corporation full payment for the shares with respect to which the option is exercised from the proceeds of the stock broker’s sale of or loan against some or all of the shares (a “Regulation T Stock Option Exercise”). Such payment may also be made in such other manner as the Committee determines is appropriate, in its Discretion. No Participant shall have any of the rights of a shareholder of the Corporation under any stock option until the actual issuance of shares to said Participant,integrate and prior to such issuance no adjustment shall be made for dividends, distributions or other rights in respect of such shares, except as provided in Paragraph 5.

12. Stock Appreciation Rights. Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Committee may grant stock appreciation rights to Participants either in conjunction with, or independently of, any stock options granted under the Plan. A stock appreciation right granted in conjunction with a stock option may be an alternative right wherein the exercise of the stock option terminates the stock appreciation right to the extent of the number of shares purchased upon exercise of the stock option and, correspondingly, the exercise of the stock appreciation right terminates the stock option to the extent of the number of shares with respect to which the stock appreciation right is exercised. Alternatively, a stock appreciation right granted in conjunction with a stock option may be an additional right wherein both the stock appreciation right and the stock option may be exercised. A stock appreciation right maydo not be granted in conjunction with an Incentive Option under circumstances in which the exercise of the stock appreciation right affects the right to exercise the Incentive Option or vice versa, unless the stock appreciation right, by its terms, meets all of the following requirements:

(a) the stock appreciation right will expire no later than the Incentive Option;

(b) the stock appreciation right may be for no more than the difference between the option price of the Incentive Option and the fair market value of the shares subject to the Incentive Option at the time the stock appreciation right is exercised;

(c) the stock appreciation right is transferable only when the Incentive Option is transferable, and under the same conditions;

(d) the stock appreciation right may be exercised only when the Incentive Option is eligible to be exercised; and

(e) the stock appreciation right may be exercised only when the fair market value of the shares subject to the Incentive Option exceeds the option price of the Incentive Option.

Upon exercise of a stock appreciation right, a Participant shall be entitled to receive, without payment to the Corporation (except for applicable withholding taxes), an amount equal to the excess of or, in the Discretion of the Committee, a portion of the excess of (i) the then aggregate fair market value of the number of shares with respect to which the Participant exercises the stock appreciation right, over (ii) the aggregate fair market value of such number of shares at the time the stock appreciation right was granted. This amount shall be payable by the Corporation, in the Discretion of the Committee, in cash, in shares of Common Stock of the Corporation, in other property or any combination thereof.

13. Granting and Exercise of Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights. Subject tofurther amend the provisions of this Paragraph 13, each stock optionthe Articles of Incorporation as heretofore amended and stock appreciation right granted hereunder shall be exercisable at any such

time or times or in any such installments as may be determined by the Committee and set forth in the written grant agreement. To the extent that the aggregate fair market value of shares (determined at the date such option was granted) with respect to which options designated as Incentive Options first become exercisable by a Participant in any calendar year (under this Plan and any other plan or agreement of the Company or any affiliate) exceeds $100,000 (or such other amount as may be specified in Section 422 of the Code), such excess options shall be treated as Nonqualified Options. A Participant may exercise a stock option or stock appreciation right, if then exercisable, in whole or in part, by delivery to the Corporation of written notice of the exercise, in such form as the Committee may prescribe, accompanied, in the case of a stock option, by payment for the shares with respect to which the stock option is exercised as provided in Paragraph 11 (unless the Committee, in its Discretion, permits a cashless form of option exercise permitted by Paragraph 11). Except as provided in Paragraph 17 or an applicable written grant agreement, stock options and stock appreciation rights may be exercised only while the Participant is an employee, outside director, consultant or advisor, as the case may be, of the Corporation or a Subsidiary. Successive stock options and stock appreciation rights may be granted to the same Participant, whether or not the stock option(s) and stock appreciation right(s) previously granted to such Participant remain unexercised. A Participant may exercise a stock option or stock appreciation right, if then exercisable, notwithstanding that stock options and stock appreciation rights previously granted to such Participant remain unexercised.

14.Non-transferability of Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights. No stock option or stock appreciation right granted under the Plan to a Participant shall be transferable by such Participant otherwise than by will, or by the laws of descent and distribution, and stock options and stock appreciation rights shall be exercisable, during the lifetime of the Participant, only by the Participant. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in its Discretion and subject to such terms and conditions as it may prescribe, the Committee may permit a Participant to transfer a Nonqualified Option or a related or independently granted stock appreciation right.

15. Term of Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights. If not sooner terminated, each stock option and stock appreciation right granted hereunder shall expire not more than ten (10) years from the date of the granting thereof; provided, however, that with respect to an Incentive Option granted to a Participant who, at the time of the grant, owns (after applying the attribution rules of Section 424(d) of the Code) more than 10% of the total combined voting stock of all classes of stock of the Corporation or any parent or Subsidiary, such option shall expire not more than five (5) years after the date of granting thereof.

16. Continuation of Employment. The Committee may require, in its Discretion, that any Participant under the Plan to whom a stock option or a stock appreciation right shall be granted shall agree in writing as a condition of the granting of such stock option or stock appreciation right to remain an employee, consultant, advisor or outside director of the Corporation or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, for a designated minimum period from the date of the granting of such stock option or stock appreciation right as shall be fixed by the Committee, and the Committee may further require, in its Discretion, that any Participant agree in writing to comply with any confidentiality, non-solicitation, non-competition and non-disparagement provisions and covenants that the Committee may require as a condition precedent to the exercise of a stock option or a stock appreciation right.

17. Termination of Employment. Except as set forth in an applicable grant agreement, if the employment of an employee Participant terminates, if the consultancy or advisorship of a consultant or advisor Participant terminates, or if an outside director Participant ceases to be a director (hereinafter collectively referred to as a “termination of employment”), the Committee may, in its Discretion, permit the exercise of stock options and stock appreciation rights granted to such Participant (a) for a period not to exceed three months following such termination of employment (or one year following termination of employment on account of the Participant’s death or permanent disability) with respect to Incentive Options or related stock appreciation rights, in either case, not to extend beyond the expiration date with respect to such options or stock appreciation rights, and (b) for a period not to extend beyond the expiration date with respect to Nonqualified Options or related or independently granted stock appreciation rights. A stock option or stock appreciation right may only be exercised after a Participant’s termination of employment to the extent exercisable on the date of termination of

employment; provided, however, that if the termination of employment is due to the Participant’s death, permanent disability or retirement at a retirement age permitted under the Corporation’s or Subsidiary’s retirement plan or policies or as otherwise determined by the Committee, or if the termination of employment results from action by the Corporation or a Subsidiary without cause or from an agreement between the Corporation or a Subsidiary and the Participant (hereinafter collectively referred to as a “qualifying termination of employment”), the Committee, in its Discretion, may permit all or part of the stock options and stock appreciation rights granted to such Participant to thereupon become exercisable in full or in part. For purposes of this Paragraph 17 and any other provision of the Plan where the term is used, the Committee’s definition of “cause” shall be final and conclusive.

18. Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units. Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Committee may award Participants shares of restricted stock and/or the Committee may grant Participants restricted stock units with respect to a specified number of shares of stock. All shares of restricted stock and all restricted stock units granted to Participants under the Plan shall be subject to the following terms and conditions (and to such other terms and conditions prescribed by the Committee):

(a) At the time of each award of restricted stock or restricted stock units, there shall be established for the shares or units a restricted period, which period may differ among Participants and may have different expiration dates with respect to portions of shares or units covered by the same award. Notwithstanding the foregoing, and excluding awards granted under Section 18(i) below, unless the Committee determines otherwise with respect to any applicable Award, (i) the restricted period for non-performance-based restricted stock awards shall not be less than two years; provided that such condition shall be met if there are varying restricted periods within any award of non-performance-based restricted stock and the average restricted period for such non-performance-based restricted stock is not less than two years, and (ii) the restricted period for performance-based restricted stock awards shall not be less than one year.

(b) Unless otherwise provided in the written grant agreement, shares of restricted stock or restricted stock units granted to a Participant may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged, hypothecated or otherwise encumbered during the restricted period applicable to such shares or units. Except for such restrictions on transfer, a Participant may be provided all of the rights of a shareholder in respect of shares of restricted stock including, but not limited to, the right to receive dividends on, and the right to vote, the shares. All dividends, if any, received by a Participant with respect to shares of restricted stock, shall be subject to the restrictions applicable to the original Award. If any such dividends are paid in cash, such dividends shall be accumulated during the restricted period (without interest) and paid or forfeited when the shares of restricted stock vest or are forfeited, and in no event shall any cash dividends be paid later than 2-1/2 months after the end of the tax year in which the applicable restricted period ends. A Participant shall have no ownership interest in shares of stock with respect to which restricted stock units are granted; provided, however, that the Committee may, in its Discretion, permit payment to such Participant of dividend equivalents on such units equal to the amount of dividends, if any, which are paid on that number of shares with respect to which the restricted stock units are granted. Any dividend equivalent rights granted to a Participant shall be subject to the restrictions applicable to the original Award, and shall be paid in a manner that either complies with, or is exempt from, Section 409A of the Code.

(c) Unless otherwise provided in the written grant agreement, if there is a termination of employment of a Participant, all shares or units granted to the Participant which are still subject to the restrictions imposed by Paragraph 18(a) shall upon such termination of employment be forfeited and transferred back to the Corporation, without payment of any consideration by the Corporation; provided, however, that in the event of a qualifying termination of employment, the Committee may, in its Discretion, release some or all of the shares or units from the restrictions. In addition to or in lieu of conditioning the release of restrictions applicable to restricted stock or restricted stock units on the continued employment of the Participant for the restricted period applicable to the shares or units, the Committee may condition release of the restrictions on the attainment of one or more performance goals during the restricted period (hereinafter referred to as a “performance-based restricted stock or restricted stock unit award”).

(d) The performance goal(s) applicable to a performance-based restricted stock or restricted stock unit award shall be based upon free cash flow, cash flow return on investment, stock price, market share, sales, revenues, earnings per share, return on equity, total shareholder return, costs, net income, working capital turnover, inventory or receivable turnover, margins and/or other objective financial results of the Corporation, a Subsidiary, or a division or unit thereof. The specific targets and other details of the performance goal(s) shall be established by the Committee, in its Discretion. A performance goal must, however, be objective so that a third party with knowledge of the relevant facts could determine whether the goal has been attained. The performance goal(s) applicable to a performance-based restricted stock or restricted stock unit award shall be established by the Committee in writing on or before the date the award is made, and there must be substantial uncertainty whether a performance goal(s) will be attained at the time it is established by the Committee.

(e) Unless otherwise determined by the Committee in the case of a Participant who dies or becomes permanently disabled, the restrictions imposed by Paragraph 18(a) on restricted stock or restricted stock units subject to a performance-based goal shall lapse only after (i) the attainment of the performance goal(s) during the restricted period, and (ii) issuance of a written certification by the Committee (including approved minutes of the meeting of the Committee at which the certification is made) that the performance goal(s) and any otherno material terms of the award have been attained or satisfied. If the performance goal(s) applicable to a performance-based restricted stock or restricted stock unit award has not been attained by the end of the restricted period, either in whole or in part, the shares or units subject to the award shall be forfeited and transferred back to the Corporation by the Participant, in whole or in part, as applicable (as required by the grant agreement), without payment of any consideration by the Corporation.

(f) Shares of restricted stock (including shares of performance based restricted stock) granted under the Plan may be evidenced in such manner as the Committee may deem appropriate, including, without limitation, book-entry registration or issuance of stock certificates. If stock certificates are issued in respect of shares of restricted stock, such certificates shall be registered in the name of the Participant, deposited with the Corporation or its designee, together with a stock power endorsed in blank, and, in the Discretion of the Committee, a legend shall be placed upon such certificates reflecting that the shares represented thereby are subject to restrictions against transfer and forfeiture.

(g) After the expiration of the restricted period applicable to restricted stock (and/or, in the case of performance-based restricted stock, after attainment of the applicable performance goal(s) and issuance of the written certification by the Committee pursuant to Paragraph 18(e)), the Corporation shall deliver to the Participant or the legal representative of the Participant’s estate stock certificates for such shares. If stock certificates were previously issued for the shares and a legend has been placed on such certificate, the Corporation shall cause such certificates to be reissued without the legend.

(h) After the expiration of the restricted period applicable to restricted stock units (and/or, in the case of performance-based restricted stock units, after attainment of the applicable performance goal(s) and issuance of the written certification by the Committee pursuant to Paragraph 18(e)), the Corporation shall pay to the Participant an amount equal to the then fair market value of the shares to which the restricted stock units relate. In the Discretion of the Committee, such amount may be paid in cash, stock, other property or any combination thereof; provided, however, that the amount of cash and the value of any other property paid to a Participant during any calendar year in settlement of a performance-based restricted stock unit award shall not exceed $2,000,000. Moreover, in the Discretion of the Committee, such amount may be paid in a lump sum or in installments, on a current or deferred basis, with provision for the payment or crediting of an additional amount on installment or deferred payments based upon a reasonable rate of interest or the actual rate of return on one or more predetermined specific investments, in the Discretion of the Committee.

In the case of events such as stock dividends, stock splits, recapitalizations, mergers, consolidations or reorganizations of or by the Corporation any stock, securities or other property which a Participant receives or is entitled to receive by reason of his ownership of restricted stock (including performance-based restricted stock) shall, unless otherwise determined by the Committee, be subject to the same restrictions applicable to the restricted stock.

Performance-based restricted stock and restricted stock unit awards under the Plan are intended to constitute qualified performance-based compensation for purposes of Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder,discrepancy between those provisions and the provisions of this Paragraph 18 (andthese Restated Articles.

x by the other provisionsshareholders at a meeting in accordance with Section 611(3) of the Plan relating to performance-based restricted stock and restricted stock unit awards) shall be interpreted and administered to effectuate that intent. Moreover, the Committee may revise or modify the requirements of this Paragraph 18 or the terms of outstanding performance-based restricted stock and restricted stock unit awards to the extent the Committee determines, in its Discretion, that such revision or modification is necessary for such awards to constitute qualified performance-based compensation.

(i) Outside directors who are first elected or appointed to the Corporation’s Board shall be granted automatically (without any action by the Committee or the Board) an award of a number of shares of restricted common stock equal to (i) $4,167 (which amount may be modified from time to time by the Committee in its Discretion), multiplied by (ii) the number of full months between the date of such election or appointment and the first anniversary of the last completed annual meeting of the Corporation’s shareholders, and divided by (iii) the closing price of the Corporation’s common stock on the date of first election or appointment. In addition, on the date of each annual meeting of the Corporation’s shareholders, each outside director then in office shall be granted automatically (without any action by the Committee or the Board) an award of a number of shares of restricted common stock equal to $50,000 (which amount may be modified from time to time by the Committee in its Discretion) divided by the closing price of the Corporation’s common stock on such date. The restricted period with respect to each share of restricted common stock granted under this paragraph shall lapse on the date of the annual meeting of shareholders held during the calendar year following the date of grant or, if earlier, on the first anniversary of the date of grant, in each case so long as the applicable director remains a director through such date. Restricted stock granted pursuant to this paragraph shall be forfeited and immediately returned to the Company if the applicable director ceases to be a director prior to the date the restrictions with respect to such restricted stock are to lapse, except that if an outside director’s services as a member of the Board terminates because of (1) total disability (as determined by the Committee), (2) death (3) retirement on or after age 65 and after at least ten years of service as a member of the Board, or (4) any other circumstance that the Committee, in its Discretion, deems to be applicable, then all restrictions with respect to the restricted stock granted pursuant to this paragraph shall immediately lapse upon the occurrence of such event.Act

19. Performance Shares. The Committee may grant to a Participant the right to earn performance shares subject to the following terms and conditions:o

(a) The Participant’s right to earn performance shares shall be subject to attainment of one or more performance goals over a performance period prescribed by the Committee.

(b) The performance goal applicable to an award to a Participant of the right to earn performance shares shall be based upon free cash flow, cash flow return on investment, stock price, market share, sales, revenues, earnings per share, return on equity, total shareholder return, costs, net income, working capital turnover, inventory or receivable turnover margins and/or other objective financial results of the Corporation, a Subsidiary, or a division or unit thereof. The specific targets and other details of the performance goal shall be established by the Committee in its Discretion. A performance goal must, however, be objective so that a third party with knowledge of the relevant facts could determine whether the goal has been attained.

(c) The performance goal applicable to an award to a Participant of the right to earn performance shares shall be established by the Committee in writing at any time during the period beginning on the date of the award and ending on the earlier of (i) ninety (90) days after commencement of the performance period applicable to the award, or (ii) expiration of the first 25% of the performance period; provided, however, that there must be substantial uncertainty whether a performance goal will be attained at the time it is established by the Committee.

(d) The performance goal established by the Committee must prescribe an objective formula or standard, that could be applied by a third party having knowledge of the relevant performance results, to compute the number of performance shares issuable to the Participant if the goal is attained.

(e) Unless otherwise determined by the Committee in the case of a Participant who dies or becomes permanently disabled, performance shares shall be issued to a Participant (in whole or in part, as applicable) only after (i) expiration of the performance period and attainment of the performance goal applicable to the award, and (ii) issuance of a written certification by the Committee (including approved minutes of the meeting of the Committee at which the certification is made) that the performance goal and any other material terms of the award have been attained or satisfied.

(f) No Participant shall have any of the rights of a shareholder of the Corporation in respect of the shares covered by a performance share award until the actual issuance of the shares to said Participant and, prior to such issuance, no adjustments shall be made for dividends, distributions or other rights in respect of such shares, except as provided in Paragraph 5.

(g) In its Discretion and subject to such terms and conditions as it may impose, the Committee may permit a Participant to elect to defer receipt of performance shares to a time later than the time the shares otherwise would be issued to the Participant; provided, that such deferral election complies with rules were duly adopted by the Committee, which comply with, or are exempt from, the requirements of Section 409Awritten consent of the Code. In such event,shareholders having not less than the Committee may,minimum number of votes required by statute in its Discretion, provide for the payment by the Corporation of an additional amount representing interest at a reasonable rate or the actual rate of return on one or more predetermined specific investments, as determined by the Committee.

(h) In the Discretionaccordance with Section 407(1) of the Committee, in lieu of settling a performance share award by issuance of shares of Common Stock of the Corporation to a Participant, all or a portion of the award may be settled by payment of cash or other propertyAct. Written notice to the Participantshareholders who have not consented in an amount or having a value equal to the then value of the otherwise issuable shares; provided, however, that the amount of cash and the value of any other property paid to any Participant during any calendar year in settlement of a performance share award shall not exceed $2,000,000.

(i) Unless otherwise determinedwriting has been given. (Note: Written consent by the Committee, performance shares or rights therein awarded to a Participant may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged, hypothecated or otherwise encumbered by the Participant at any time before actual issuance of the shares to the Participant.

(j) In its Discretion, the Committee may subject a performance share award to a Participant to any other terms or conditions not inconsistent with the foregoing, including, without limitation, a requirement that the Participant remain an employee of the Corporation or a Subsidiary (including at or above a specified salary grade), or that the Participant remain a consultant, advisor or outside director of the Corporation or a Subsidiary, for the entire performance period applicable to the award.

Performance share awards under the Plan are intended to constitute qualified performance-based compensation for purposes of Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder, and the provisions of this Paragraph 19 (and the other provisions of the Plan relating to performance share awards) shall be interpreted and administered to effectuate that intent. Moreover, the Committee may revise or modify the requirements of this Paragraph 19 or the terms of outstanding performance share awards to the extent the Committee determines, in its Discretion, that such revision or modification is necessary for such awards to constitute qualified performance-based compensation.

20. Other Stock-Based Awards. The Committee may grant to Participants such other awards that are denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on or related to, shares of Common Stock of the Corporation as are deemed by the Committee, in its Discretion, to be consistent with the purposes of the Plan; provided, however, that such grants must comply with applicable law. Without limitation, the Committee may permit a Participant to make a current, outright purchase of shares of Common Stock of the Corporation, which shares may or may not be subject to any restrictions or conditions, for a price equal to, less than or greater than the then fair market value of the shares, with the price payable by the Participant in such form and manner and at such time as determined by the Committee in its Discretion.

21. Investment purpose. If the Committee, in its Discretion, determines that as a matter of law such procedure is or may be desirable, it may require a Participant, upon any acquisition of stock hereunder and as a condition to the Corporation’s obligation to deliver certificates representing such shares, to execute and deliver to the Corporation a written statement in form satisfactory to the Committee, representing and warranting that the Participant’s acquisition of shares of stock shall be for such person’s own account, for investment and not with a view to the resale or distribution thereof and that any subsequent offer for sale or sale of any such shares shall be made either pursuant to (a) a Registration Statement on an appropriate form under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), which Registration Statement has become effective and is current with respect to the shares being offered and sold, or (b) a specific exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, but in claiming such exemption the Participant shall, prior to any offer for sale or sale of such shares, obtain a favorable written opinion from counsel for or approved by the Corporation as to the availability of such exemption. The Corporation may endorse an appropriate legend referring to the foregoing restriction upon the certificate or certificates representing any shares issued or transferred to the Participant under the Plan.

22. Rights to Continued Employment. Nothing contained in the Plan or in any Award granted pursuant to the Plan, nor any action taken by the Committee hereunder, shall confer upon any Participant any right with respect to continuation of employment or service as an employee, consultant, advisor or outside director of the Corporation or a Subsidiary nor interfere in any way with the right of the Corporation or a Subsidiary to terminate such person’s employment or service at any time with or without cause.

23. Withholding Payments. If, upon the grant, exercise, release of restrictions or settlement of or in respect of an Award, or upon any other event or transaction under or relating to the Plan, there shall be payable by the Corporation or a Subsidiary any amount for income or employment tax withholding, in the Committee’s Discretion, either the Corporation shall appropriately reduce the amount of stock, cash or other property to be paid to the Participant or the Participant shall pay such amount to the Corporation or Subsidiary to enable it to pay or to reimburse it for paying such income or employment tax withholding. The Committee may, in its Discretion, permit Participants to satisfy such withholding obligations, in whole or in part, by electing to have the amount of Common Stock delivered or deliverable by the Corporation in respect of an Award appropriately reduced, or by electing to tender Common Stock back to the Corporation subsequent to receipt of such stock in respect of an Award. The Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries shall also have the right to withhold the amount of such taxes from any other sums or property due or to become due from the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries to the Participant upon such terms and conditions as the Committee shall prescribe. The Corporation may also defer issuance of stock under the Plan until payment by the Participant to the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries of the amount of any such tax. In the case of a Regulation T Stock Option Exercise, the Committee may in its Discretion permit the Participant to irrevocably instruct a stock broker to promptly deliver to the Corporation an amount (in addition to the option exercise price) equal to any withholding tax owing in respect of such option exercise from the proceeds of the stock broker’s sale of or loan against some or all of the shares.shareholders is permitted only if such provision appears in the Articles of Incorporation.)

24. Change in Control. Notwithstanding any other provision ofo were duly adopted by the Plan or any provision of a grant agreement, in the event the Committee determines that there has been or will be a Change in Control (as such term is defined below) of the Corporation, the Committee may, without thewritten consent of the holder, provide for any treatment of outstanding Awards which it determines, in its Discretion,shareholders entitled to be appropriate. Such treatment may (but not automatically) include, without limitation, acceleration of vesting of stock options and stock appreciation rights, release of restrictions applicable to restricted stock or restricted stock units, or deeming performance share awards and performance-based restricted stock and restricted stock unit awards to have been earned.

For purposes of the Plan, a “Change in Control” means any of the following: (a) the consummation of a merger, consolidation or reorganization involving the Corporation, unless securities representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the voting securities of the successor corporation are immediately thereafter beneficially owned, directly or indirectly and in substantially the same proportion, by the persons who beneficially owned the Corporation’s outstanding voting securities immediately prior to such transaction; (b) the consummation of a transfer, sale or other disposition, in one or a series of related transactions,

of all or substantially all of the Corporation’s assets to any individual entity or group (a “Person”) (other than any Person that is directly controlled by or under common control with the Corporation); (c) the consummation of an acquisition, directly or indirectly, by any Person (other than the Corporation or any Person that is directly controlled by or under common control with the Corporation), of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) of securities possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the Corporation’s outstanding securities; (d) individuals who, as of the date hereof, constitute the Board (the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board; provided that, any individual who becomes a director of the Corporation subsequent to the date hereof whose election, or nomination for election, by the Corporation’s shareholders was approved by the vote of at least a majority of the Independent Directors (as defined by applicable Nasdaq listing standards or, if the Corporation ceases to be listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market and is instead listed on another stock exchange, then as defined by the applicable rules of such other stock exchange) then comprising the Incumbent Board shall be deemed a member of the Incumbent Board; or (e) the consummation of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Corporation. In no event, however, shall a Change in Control be deemed to occur in connection with (a) a merger or reorganization of the Corporation, the sole purpose of which is to reincorporate the Corporation in a different state, or (b) any public offering of stock, the primary purpose of which is to raise additional capital.

25. Prohibition on Repricing. Except in connection with a corporate transaction involving the Corporation (including, without limitation, any stock dividend, stock split, extraordinary cash dividend, recapitalization, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, or exchange of shares), the terms of outstanding Awards may not be amended to reduce the exercise price of outstanding stock options or stock appreciation rights or cancel outstanding stock options or stock appreciation rights in exchange for cash, other Awards or stock options or stock appreciation rights with an exercise price that is less than the exercise price of the original stock options or stock appreciation rights without shareholder approval.

26. Effectiveness of Plan. The Plan shall be effective on the date the shareholders approve the Plan, subject to adoption by the Board if adoption had not already occurred prior to such shareholder approval. Awards may not be granted prior to shareholder approval of the Plan.

27. Termination, Duration and Amendments of Plan. The Plan may be abandoned or terminated at any time by the Board. Unless sooner terminated by the Board, the Plan shall terminate on the date ten (10) years after its approval by the shareholders, and no Awards may be granted thereafter. The termination of the Plan shall not affect the validity of any Award outstanding on the date of termination.

For the purpose of conforming to any changes in applicable law or governmental regulations, or for any other lawful purpose, the Board shall have the right, without approval of the shareholders of the Corporation, to amend or revise the terms of the Plan at any time; provided however, that no such amendment or revision shall (i) with respect to the Plan, increase the maximum number of shares in the aggregate which are subject to the Plan or with respect to which Awards may be made to individual Participants (subject in each case, however, to the provisions of Paragraph 5), materially change the class of persons eligible to be Participants under the Plan, establish additional and different business criteria on which performance goals applicable to performance share awards or performance-based restricted stock or restricted stock unit awards are based, or materially increase the benefits accruing to Participants under the Plan, without approval or ratification of the shareholders of the Corporation; or (ii) with respect to an Award previously granted under the Plan, except as otherwise specifically provided in the Plan, adversely affect the rights grant under any such Award without the consent of the holder thereof.

28. Section 409A of the Code. It is intended that Awards granted under the Plan either be exempt from, or comply with, the requirements of Section 409A of the Code and the guidance and regulations issued thereunder and, accordingly, to the maximum extent permitted, the Plan and agreements granting Awards shall be interpreted consistent with such intent. In the event that any Award is subject to but fails to comply with Section 409A of the Code, the Corporation may revise the terms of the grant to correct such noncompliance to

the extent permitted under any guidance, procedure or other method promulgated by the Internal Revenue Service now or in the future or otherwise available that provides for such correction as a means to avoid or mitigate any taxes, interest or penalties that would otherwise be incurred by the Participant on account of such noncompliance; provided, however, that in no event whatsoever shall the Corporation be liable for any additional tax, interest or penalty imposed upon or other detriment suffered by a Participant under Code Section 409A or damages for failing to comply with Section 409A of the Code. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any agreement pertaining to an Award, the payment or settlement of any 409A Award that would otherwise be payable or distributable upon the occurrence of a Change in Control, the Participant’s disability or termination of employment, shall not be payable or distributable to the Participant by reason of such circumstance unless (i) the circumstances giving rise to such event also constitutes a change in control within the meaning of Treas. Reg. §1.409A-3(i)(5), a disability within the meaning of Treas. Reg. §1.409A-3(i)(4), or a “separation from service” within the meaning of Treas. Reg. §1.409A-1(h), respectively, or (ii) the payment or distribution of such amount or benefit would be exempt from the application of Section 409A of the Code by reason of the short-term deferral exemption or otherwise. This provision does not prohibit the vesting of any Award. If this provision prevents the payment or distribution of any amount or benefit, such payment or distribution shall be made on the next earliest payment or distribution date or event specified in the grant agreement that is permissible under Section 409A of the Code. Notwithstanding anything else to the contrary in the Plan, to the extent that a Participant is a “specified employee” (as determined in accordance with the requirements of Section 409A407(2) of the Code), no payment on account of a Participant’s separation from service (determined in accordance with Treas. Reg. §1.409A-1(h)) in settlement of a 409A Award may be made before the date which is six months after such Participant’s date of separation from service, or, if earlier, the date of the Participant’s death.

29. General.Act.

(a) The granting of Awards and the issuance of shares of Common Stock hereunder shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies as may be required. No shares of Common stock shall be issued or transferred pursuant to this Plan unless and until all legal requirements applicable to such issuance or transfer have, in the opinion of counsel to the Corporation, been complied with. In connection with any such issuance or transfer, the person acquiring the shares shall, if requested by the Corporation, give assurances satisfactory to counsel to the Corporation in respect to such matters as the Corporation may deem desirable to assure compliance with all applicable legal requirements.

Signed this ____ day of ____, 2015.

/s/

Name:

Kenneth J. Phillips

Its:

Vice-President, General Counsel and Secretary

(b) Neither the adoption of the Plan nor the submission of the Plan to the Corporation’s shareholders for approval shall be construed as creating any limitations upon the right and authority of the Board to adopt such other incentive compensation arrangements (which arrangements may be applicable either generally to a class or classes of individuals or specifically to a particular individual or particular individuals) as the Board in its discretion determines desirable, including, without limitation, the granting of options otherwise than under the Plan.

(c) Payments and other benefits received by a Participant under an Award made pursuant to the Plan shall not be deemed a part of Participant’s compensation for purposes of determining the Participant’s benefits under any other benefit plans or arrangements provided by the Corporation or any affiliate, except where the Committee expressly provides otherwise in writing.

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan or of any other agreement, contract, or understanding heretofore or hereafter entered into by a Participant with the Corporation or any affiliate, except an agreement, contract, or understanding hereafter entered into that expressly modifies or excludes application of this paragraph (an “Other Agreement”), and notwithstanding any formal or informal plan or other arrangement for the direct or indirect provision of compensation to the Participant (including groups or classes of Participants or beneficiaries of which the Participant is a member), whether or not such compensation is deferred, is in cash, or is in the form

of a benefit to or for the Participant (a “Benefit Arrangement”), if the Participant is a “disqualified individual,” as defined in Section 280G(c) of the Code, any options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance shares or units or other Awards hereunder held by that Participant and any right to receive any payment or other benefit under this Plan shall not become exercisable or vested (i) to the extent that such right to exercise, vesting, payment, or benefit, taking into account all other rights, payments, or benefits to or for the Participant under this Plan, all Other Agreements, and all Benefit Arrangements, would cause any payment or benefit to the Participant under this Plan to be considered a “parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(2) of the Code as then in effect (a “Parachute Payment”) and (ii) if, as a result of receiving a Parachute Payment, the aggregate after-tax amounts received by the Participant from the Corporation under this Plan, all Other Agreements, and all Benefit Arrangements would be less than the maximum after-tax amount that could be received by the Participant without causing any such payment or benefit to be considered a Parachute Payment. In the event that the receipt of any such right to exercise, vesting, payment, or benefit under this Plan, in conjunction with all other rights, payments, or benefits to or for the Participant under any Other Agreement or any Benefit Arrangement would cause the Participant to be considered to have received a Parachute Payment under this Plan that would have the effect of decreasing the after-tax amount received by the Participant as described in clause (ii) of the preceding sentence, then the Participant shall have the right, in the Participant’s sole discretion, to designate those rights, payments, or benefits under this Plan, any Other Agreements, and any Benefit Arrangements that should be reduced or eliminated so as to avoid having the payment or benefit to the Participant under this Plan be deemed to be a Parachute Payment, provided that any such payment or benefit that is excluded from the coverage of Section 409A of the Code shall be reduced or eliminated prior to the reduction or elimination of any benefit that is related to a 409A Award.

(e) The interests of any Participant under the Plan or any Award shall not be subject to the claims of creditors and may not, in any way, be assigned, alienated, or encumbered.

(f) The Plan, and all Awards made pursuant hereto, shall be governed, construed, and administered in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Michigan (regardless of the laws that might otherwise govern under applicable principles of conflicts of laws of such jurisdiction or any other jurisdiction).

(g) It is the intent of the Corporation that Awards and transactions permitted by Awards be interpreted in a manner that, in the case of Participants who are or may be subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, qualify, to the maximum extent compatible with the express terms of the Awards, for the exemption from liability provided in Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act. The Corporation shall have no liability to any Participant or other person for Section 16 consequences of Awards or events in connection with Awards if an Award or related event does not so qualify.

(h) References in the Plan to any law, rule or regulation shall include a reference to any corresponding rule (or number redesignation) of any amendments or restatements to such law, rule or regulation adopted after the effective date of the Plan’s adoption.

(i) Headings are given to the sections and subsections of the Plan solely as a convenience to facilitate reference. Such headings shall not be deemed in any way material or relevant to the construction or interpretation of the Plan or any provision thereof.

(j) In the event that any provision of the Plan shall be held illegal or invalid for any reason, the illegality or invalidity shall not affect the remaining parts of the Plan, and the Plan shall be construed and enforced as if the illegal or invalid provision had not been included.

(k) Nothing contained in the Plan shall be construed to limit the authority of the Corporation to exercise its corporate rights and powers, including but not by way of limitation, the right of the Corporation to grant or issue options for proper corporate purposes other than under the Plan with respect to any employee or other person, firm, corporation, or association.

(l) This document is a complete statement of the Plan.

* * *

Subject to approval by the shareholders of the Corporation.

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GENTHERM INCORPORATED


IMPORTANT ANNUAL MEETING INFORMATION

Using a black ink pen, mark your votes with an X as shown in this example. Please do not write outside the designated areas.

Annual Meeting Proxy Card

PLEASE FOLD ALONG THE PERFORATION, DETACH AND RETURN THE BOTTOM PORTION IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE.

A Proposals — The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR all the nominees listed and FOR Proposals 2, 3 and 4.

1. The election to the Board of Directors of the nominee(s) specified in the Proxy Statement:

01 - Lewis Booth 02 - Francois Castaing 03 - Daniel Coker

04 - Sophie Desormière 05 - Maurice Gunderson 06 - Oscar B. Marx

07 - Carlos Mazzorin 08 - Franz Scherer 09 - Byron Shaw

Mark here to vote

FOR all nominees

Mark here to WITHHOLD

vote from all nominees

For All EXCEPT - To withhold authority to vote for any

nominee(s), write the name(s) of such nominee(s) below.

For Against Abstain

2. To ratify the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP to act as

the Company’s Registered Independent Accountants for the

year ended December 31, 2013.

3. To approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of our

named executive officers.

For Against Abstain

4. To approve the Gentherm Incorporated 2013 Equity

Incentive Plan.

B Authorized Signatures — This section must be completed for your vote to be counted. — Date and Sign Below

Note: Please sign exactly as your name appears on this proxy card. If shares are held jointly, each holder should sign. Executors, administrators, trustees, guardians, attorneys and agents should give their full titles. If the shareholder is a corporation, sign in full corporate name of the authorized office.

Date (mm/dd/yyyy) — Please print date below. Signature 1 — Please keep signature within the box. Signature 2 — Please keep signature within the box.

1 U P X 1 6 2 8 9 2 2

01N1NB


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NOTICE OF INTERNET AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS:

The Notice of Meeting and proxy statement are available at www.gentherm.com and at www.edocumentview.com/THRM; however, the only means by which you are able to deliver your proxy is by dating and signing this proxy card and returning it prior to the Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

PLEASE FOLD ALONG THE PERFORATION, DETACH AND RETURN THE BOTTOM PORTION IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE.

Proxy — GENTHERM INCORPORATED

21680 HAGGERTY ROAD

SUITE 101

NORTHVILLE, MICHIGAN 48167

The undersigned, revoking all prior proxies, hereby appoints Daniel R. Coker and Kenneth J. Phillips as Proxies, each with the power to appoint his or her substitute, and hereby, authorizes them to represent and to vote, as designated below, all the shares of common stock of Gentherm Incorporated held of record by the undersigned on April 8, 2013 at the Annual Meeting of shareholders to be held on Thursday, May 16, 2013 or any adjournment thereof. THIS PROXY WHEN PROPERLY EXECUTED WILL BE VOTED IN THE MANNER DIRECTED HEREIN BY THE UNDERSIGNED SHAREHOLDER.

IF NO DIRECTION IS MADE, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED FOR THE ELECTION OF THE DIRECTOR NOMINEES, FOR THE ADOPTION OF THE PROPOSAL TO RATIFY THE APPOINTMENT OF GRANT THORNTON LLP TO ACT AS THE COMPANY’S REGISTERED INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2013, FOR THE APPROVAL, ON AN ADVISORY BASIS, OF THE COMPANY’S EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION AND FOR THE PROPOSAL TO APPROVE THE GENTHERM INCORPORATED 2013 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN. WITH RESPECT TO ANY OTHER BUSINESS PROPERLY BROUGHT BEFORE THE ANNUAL MEETING AND ANY ADJOURNMENTS THEREOF, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED IN THE DISCRETION OF DANIEL R. COKER AND KENNETH J PHILLIPS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR BEST JUDGMENT.