UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

SCHEDULE 14A

 

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the

the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No.)

 

Filed by the Registrant [X]

 

Filed by a Party other than the Registrant [  ]

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[  ]Preliminary Proxy Statement
[  ]Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
[X]Definitive Proxy Statement
[  ]Definitive Additional Materials
[  ]Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12§ 240.14a-12

 

ProLung, Inc.PROLUNG, INC.

(Name of Registrant as Specified Inin Its Charter)

 

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other thanOther Than the Registrant)

 

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

 

[X]No fee required.
[  ]Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.

 
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ProLung, Inc.

757 East South Temple,PROLUNG, INC. dba IONIQ Sciences

350 W. 800 N., Suite 150 ● 214

Salt Lake City, UT 84012Utah 84103

September 20, 2017May 25, 2021

 

Dear Stockholder:

 

You are cordially invited to attend the 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) of ProLung, Inc. dba IONIQ Sciences (“ProLung,” “IONIQ” or the “Company”) scheduled to be held remotely via webconference at 1:0011:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., November 3, 2017, in the Milano Room at the Grand America Hotel at 555 Main Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84101.

MT on July 9, 2021. The accompanying Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders and Proxy Statement describe the items to be considered and acted upon by stockholders.Stockholders. You may also find these documents online at www.viewproxy.com/IONIQ/2020.

 

Your vote is very important. Whether you planFor Registered Holders to attend the Annual Meeting or not, we urge youvote: www.FCRVote.com/IONQ

For Registered Holders to vote your shares as soon as possible by returningvia Phone, please call: 1-866-402-3905

The Company’s Proxy Statement and Annual Report to Stockholders for the enclosed proxy card. This will ensure representation of your sharesfiscal year ended December 31, 2020 are available on the Internet at the Annual Meeting ifwww.viewproxy.com/IONIQ/2020 or call IONIQ Sciences at 801-736-0729.

If you are unable to attend.have any questions or require any assistance with voting, please contact IONIQ Sciences at 801-736-0729.

 

We look forward to seeing you at the Annual Meeting.

 

Sincerely,

 

/s/ Steven C. ErorJared Bauer 
Steven C. Eror
Jared Bauer 
President and Chief Executive Officer 

 

 

 

ProLung, Inc.PROLUNG, INC. dba IONIQ Sciences

757 East South Temple,350 W. 800 N., Suite 150 ● 214

Salt Lake City, UT 84012Utah 84103

 

NOTICE OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

OF PROLUNG, INC. dba IONIQ Sciences

 

Date:November 3, 2017

July 9, 2021

Time:1:00 p.m.

11:30 a.m. local time

(mountain time)

Place:

Grand America Hotelvia Webcast: Register at http://www.viewproxy.com/IONIQ/2020/htype.asp by 11:59 p.m. (ET) July 8, 2021. After registering, you will receive an email confirming your registration as well as the password to attend the Annual Meeting. 

555 Main Street, The Milano Room

Salt Lake City, Utah 84101

Purposes:1.To elect two directors of ProLung, Inc. (the “Company”),one director to serve a three-year term untilexpiring at the 2020 Annual Meeting2023 annual meeting of the Company’s Stockholders and until theirhis or her successors are duly elected and qualified;
 2.To ratify the appointment of MaloneBailey, LLPSadler Gibb, LLC to serve as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm (independent auditors) for the year ending December 31, 2017;
2020; and
 3.

To transact such other business that may properly come before the Annual Meeting of Stockholders and any adjournment thereof.

Who Can Vote:

Stockholders at the close of business on September 5, 2017.

May 13, 2021. 

How You Can Vote:

Stockholders may vote at the Annual Meetingby mail, online or by phone.

 

By authorizationThe Stockholder Meeting will be completely virtual and conducted via live audio webcast because of the Board

Steven C. Eror

Presidentpublic health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to enable our stockholders to participate from any location around the world that is convenient to them. You will be able to attend the Stockholder Meeting by first registering at https://viewproxy.com/ioniq/2020/htype.asp. You will receive a meeting invitation by e-mail with your unique join link along with a password prior to the meeting date. Stockholders will be able to listen, vote and Chief Executive Officersubmit questions during the virtual meeting.

 

September 20, 2017We have created and implemented the virtual format in order to facilitate stockholder attendance and participation by enabling stockholders to participate fully, and equally, from any location around the world at no-cost. However, you will bear any costs associated with your Internet access, such as usage charges from Internet access providers and telephone companies. A virtual Annual Meeting makes it possible for more stockholders (regardless of size, resources or physical location) to have direct access to information more quickly, while saving the company and our stockholders time and money, especially as physical attendance at meetings has dwindled. We also believe that the online tools we have selected will increase stockholder communication. For example, the virtual format allows stockholders to communicate with us in advance of, and during, the Annual Meeting so they can ask questions of our board of directors or management. During the Q&A session of the Annual Meeting, we may answer questions as they come in and address those asked in advance, to the extent relevant to the business of the Annual Meeting, as time permits.

Both stockholders of record and street name stockholders will be able to attend the Annual Meeting via live audio webcast, submit their questions during the meeting and vote their shares electronically at the Annual Meeting.

If you are a registered holder, your virtual control number will be on your Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials or Proxy Card.

If you hold your shares beneficially through a bank or broker, you must provide a legal proxy from your bank or broker during registration and you will be assigned a virtual control number in order to vote your shares during the annual meeting. If you are unable to obtain a legal proxy to vote your shares, you will still be able to attend the 2020 annual meeting (but will not be able to vote your shares) so long as you demonstrate proof of stock ownership. Instructions on how to connect and participate via the Internet, including how to demonstrate proof of stock ownership, are posted at https://viewproxy.com/ioniq/2020/htype.asp. On the day of the annual meeting, you may only vote during the meeting by e-mailing a copy of your legal proxy to virtualmeeting@viewproxy.com in advance of the meeting.

Technical Difficulties

There will be technicians ready to assist you with any technical difficulties you may have accessing the annual meeting live audio webcast. Please be sure to check in by 11:15 a.m. MDT on July 9, 2021, (15 minutes prior to the start of the meeting is recommended) the day of the meeting, so that any technical difficulties may be addressed before the annual meeting live audio webcast begins. If you encounter any difficulties accessing the webcast during the check-in or meeting time, please email VirtualMeeting@viewproxy.com or call 866-612-8937.

The Board of Directors (the “Board”) has set the close of business on May 13, 2021 as the record date for determining Stockholders of the Company entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting.

EVEN IF YOU CANNOT ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING, PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO PROMPTLY VOTE YOUR PROXY BY CAREFULLY FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE ENCLOSED PROXY CARD.

THE BOARD UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS VOTING “FOR” THE ELECTION OF THE BOARD’S NOMINEE UNDER PROPOSAL 1 AND “FOR” PROPOSAL 3 USING THE ENCLOSED PROXY CARD.

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Annual Meeting to be held on July 9, 2021: The Company’s Proxy Statement and Annual Report to Stockholders for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 are available on the Internet at www.viewproxy.com/IONIQ/2020.

By authorization of the Board,
Jared Bauer
Chief Executive Officer
May 25, 2021

IMPORTANT

TO ASSURE THAT YOUR SHARES ARE REPRESENTED AT THE ANNUAL MEETING, WE URGE YOU TO COMPLETE, DATE AND SIGN THE ENCLOSED PROXY CARD AND MAIL IT PROMPTLY IN THE POSTAGE PRE-PAID ENVELOPE PROVIDED, OR VOTE BY TELEPHONE OR THE INTERNET AS INSTRUCTED ON THE PROXY CARD, WHETHER OR NOT YOU PLAN TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING. YOU CAN REVOKE YOUR PROXY AT ANY TIME BEFORE THE PROXIES YOU APPOINTED CAST YOUR VOTES.

For Registered Holders to vote: www.FCRVote.com/IONQ

For Registered Holders to vote via Phone, please call: 1-866-402-3905

The Company’s Proxy Statement and Annual Report to Stockholders for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 are available on the Internet at www.viewproxy.com/IONIQ/2020 or call IONIQ Sciences at 801-736-0729.

If you have any questions or require any assistance with voting, please contact IONIQ Sciences at 801-736-0729.

 

 

 

Proxy Statement for the

Annual Meeting of Stockholders of

PROLUNG, INC.

To Be Held on November 3, 2017

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Page

OverviewOVERVIEW1
Proposal 1—Election of Directors4
Directors Whose Terms of Office Continue5
Executive OfficersCORPORATE GOVERNANCE6
Corporate GovernancePROPOSAL 1 – ELECTION OF DIRECTORS811
Report of the Audit CommitteePROPOSAL 2 – RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM12
Management CompensationREPORT OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE TO STOCKHOLDERS13
Certain Relationships and Related TransactionsCURRENT DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE COMPANY14
COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS16
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners17
Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting ComplianceTRANSACTIONS WITH RELATED PERSONS18
Proposal 2 – Ratification of Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting FirmSECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS19
Other MattersPOLICY ON PRE-APPROVAL OF RETENTION OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM20
OTHER MATTERS20
IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE INTERNET AVAILABILITY OF PROXY SOLICITATION MATERIALS21
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION22
ANNEX A CERTAIN INFORMATION REGARDING PARTICIPANTS IN THIS PROXY SOLICITATION24

 

i

 

PROXY STATEMENT

FOR THE

ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

OF

PROLUNG, INC.

November 3, 2017

OVERVIEW

Solicitation

This Proxy Statement, the accompanying Notice of Annual Meeting, proxy card and the Annual Report to Stockholders of ProLung, Inc. (the “Company” or forms of “we”) are being mailed on or about September 22, 2017, which is the approximate date on which this proxy statement and form of proxy are first being mailed or made available to the Company’s stockholders. The Board of Directors (the “Board”) of the CompanyProLung, Inc. dba IONIQ Sciences, a Delaware corporation (the Board“Company”), is solicitingusing this Proxy Statement to solicit your proxy to vote your sharesfor use at theour 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (including any postponements or adjournments thereof, the Company’s Stockholders to be held on November 3, 2017 (the “Meeting“Annual Meeting”). TheWe are sending this Proxy Statement and the enclosed proxy card on or about December 30, 2020, to our Stockholders of record as of the close of business on May 13, 2021. References in this Proxy Statement to “ProLung,” “IONIQ,” the “Company,” “we,” “us,” “our” and similar terms refer to ProLung, Inc. dba IONIQ Sciences.

OVERVIEW

Solicitation

Why am I receiving these materials?

Our Board is soliciting yourproxies in connection with the Annual Meeting. On or about May 25, 2021, we expect to begin mailing these proxy in an effortmaterials to give all stockholdersStockholders of record as of the opportunityclose of business on May 13, 2021, the record date.

You are receiving this Proxy Statement as a Stockholders of the Company. We request that you promptly use the enclosed proxy card to vote, on matters that will be presented atby telephone, Internet or mail, in the Meeting. This Proxy Statement provides informationevent you desire to assist you in votingexpress your shares.support of or opposition to the proposals.

THE BOARD UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS VOTING “FOR” THE ELECTION OF THE BOARD’S NOMINEE UNDER PROPOSAL 1 AND “FOR” PROPOSAL 2 USING THE ENCLOSED PROXY CARD.

 

What is a proxy?

 

A proxy is your legal designation of another person to vote on your behalf. You are giving the individualsindividual appointed by the Board as proxies (Steven C. Eror and Mark V. Anderson)proxy (Don A. Patterson) the authority to vote your shares in the manner you indicate.

 

Why did I receive more than one notice?

 

You may receive multiple notices if you hold your shares in different ways (e.g., joint tenancy, trusts or custodial accounts) or in multiple accounts. If your shares are held by a broker (i.e., in “street name”), you will receive your notice or other voting information from your broker. In any case, you should vote for each notice you receive.

Voting Information

 

Who is qualified to vote?

 

The Board has selected September 5, 2017May 13, 2021 as the record date. You are qualified to receive notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting if you owned shares of common stock of the Company (the Common Stock“Common Stock”) at the close of business on September 5, 2017.May 13, 2021.

How many votes do I have?

You have one vote for each share of Common Stock that you owned at the close of business on the record date. These shares include shares held by you as a “Stockholder of record” and as a “beneficial owner.”

 

How many shares of Common Stock may vote at the Annual Meeting?

 

As of September 5, 2017,April 14, 2021, there were 30,892,5124,094,916 shares of Common Stock outstanding and entitled to vote. Each share of Common Stock is entitled to one vote on each matter presented at the Annual Meeting.

1

What “quorum” is required for the Annual Meeting?

In order to have a valid Stockholder vote, a quorum must exist at the Annual Meeting. Following a deliberative review of the Company’s quorum requirements, on November 1, 2018, as permitted by the Bylaws, the Board amended the quorum provision of the Bylaws. As amended, the Bylaws provide that a quorum exists when the holders of shares of Common Stock having at least one-third of the votes which could be cast by the holders of all outstanding shares of Common Stock entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting are present in person or represented by proxy.

 

What is the difference between a “stockholder“Stockholder of record” and a “street name” holder?

 

If your shares are registered directly in your name with Action Stock Transfer Corporation, the Company’s transfer agent, you are a “stockholder“Stockholder of record.” If your shares are held in the name of a brokerage, bank, trust or other nominee as a custodian, you are a “street name” holder.

 

How can I vote at the Annual Meeting?

 

YouStockholders of Record. Stockholders of record may vote their shares or submit a proxy to have their shares voted by one of the following methods:

By Internet – You may submit your proxy online via the Internet by going to www.FCRVote.com/IONQ. Internet voting facilities will be available 24 hours a day.
By Phone – You may submit your proxy via phone by calling 1-866-402-3905. Phone voting facilities will be available 24 hours a day.
By Mail – You may submit your proxy card by completing, signing and dating your proxy card and returning it in the reply envelope included with these proxy materials.
In Person – You may attend the Annual Meeting and vote in person by completing a ballot. Attending the Annual Meeting without completing a ballot will not count as a vote. You will need the virtual control number included on your proxy card or notice of internet availability if you choose to vote during the virtual meeting. You are encouraged to vote ahead of the Annual Meeting regardless of whether or not you plan to attend in person.

Beneficial Owners. If you are the beneficial owner of your shares (that is, you hold your shares in person by attending the Meeting. You may also“street name” through an intermediary such as a broker, bank or other nominee), you will receive instructions from your bank, broker or other nominee. Your bank, broker or other nominee will not vote your proxy by mail, by phone or online. To vote your proxy by mail, mark your voteshares on the enclosed proxy card, then follow theany non-routine matters unless you provide them instructions on the card. To vote by phone use any touch tone telephone and dial 1 (866) 804-9616 and have your proxy card available and follow the voting instructionshow to vote your shares. ToYou should instruct your bank, broker or other nominee how to vote your shares by following the directions provided by your bank, broker or other nominee. Alternatively, you may obtain a “legal proxy” from your bank, broker or other nominee and bring it with you to hand in with a ballot in order to be able to vote your shares at the Annual Meeting. If you would like to vote shares electronically at the Annual Meeting, you will need to obtain a legal proxy onfrom your broker, bank or other nominee and provide a copy of the legal proxy (which may be uploaded to the registration website or sent via email to VirtualMeeting@viewproxy.com) as part of the registration process. After registering, you will receive a virtual control number in the email confirming your registration. Please note that if you do not provide a copy of the legal proxy, you may still attend the Annual Meeting but you will not be able to vote shares electronically at the Annual Meeting.

General. If you submit your proxy using any of the methods above, Don A. Patterson will vote your shares in the manner you indicate. You may specify whether your shares should be voted for the nominees for director and for or against any other proposals properly introduced at the Annual Meeting. If you vote by telephone or Internet goand choose to www.aalvote.com/LUNG, havevote with the recommendation of the Board, or if you vote by mail, sign your proxy card, and followdo not indicate specific choices, your shares will be voted “FOR” the promptselection of the director nominee (Proposal 1), and “FOR” ratification of the appointment of our independent public accounting firm (Proposal 2).

If a matter is not timely submitted pursuant to Rule 14a-4(c)(1), your proxy will authorize Don A. Patterson to vote your shares.

shares in his discretion with respect to any such matter subsequently raised at the Annual Meeting. At the time this Proxy Statement was filed, we knew of no matters to be considered at the Annual Meeting other than those referenced in this Proxy Statement.

 

12

 

What are the Board’s recommendations on how I should vote my shares?

 

The Board recommends that you vote your shares on the proxy card as follows:

 

Proposal 1

 

FORthe election of the Board’s two nomineesnominee for director with a three-year termsterm expiring at the 20202023 annual meeting of the Company’s stockholders.Stockholders.

   

Proposal 2

FORthe ratification of the appointment of MaloneBailey, LLPSadler Gibb, LLC (“Sadler Gibb”) as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm (independent auditors) for the year ending December 31, 2017.2020.

 

What are my choices when voting?

 

Proposal 1

You may cast your vote in favor of up to two individualone or both director-nominees. You may vote for fewer than two director-nominees if you choose. You may also abstain from voting.

   
Proposal 2

You may cast your vote in favor of, or against, such proposal. You may also abstain from voting.

Why is the Board recommending a “FOR” vote for Proposals 1 and 2?

We describe all proposals and the Board’s reasons for supporting each of them in detail beginning on page [11] of this Proxy Statement.

 

How will my shares be voted if I do not specify how they should be voted?

 

If you execute the enclosed proxy card without indicating how you want your shares to be voted, the proxiesproxy appointed by the Board will vote as recommended by the Board and described previously in this section.

 

How will withheld votes, abstentions and broker non-votes be treated?

 

Withheld votes, abstentions and broker non-votes will be deemed as “present” at the Annual Meeting and will be counted for quorum purposes only.

 

Can I change my vote?

 

You may revoke your proxy before the time of voting at the Annual Meeting in any of the following ways:

 

 by mailing a revised proxy card to the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company; or
   
 by voting in person at the Annual Meeting.

 

What vote will be required to approve each proposal?

 

Proposal 1 providesThe Bylaws provide that the two director-nominees who receive the most votes for his election will be elected as directorsof a director requires a plurality of all of the Company.votes cast either in person or by proxy at the Annual Meeting. Withheld votes, abstentions and broker non-votes will have no effect on the voting results of Proposal 1.

 

Proposal 2 will be approved if the number of votes cast, in person or by proxy, in favor exceeds a majority of the shares of Common Stock entitled to vote on the Proposals. Withheld votes, abstentions and broker non-votes will be the equivalent of a vote against Proposal 2.3.

3

What are broker non-votes?

 

Broker non-votes occur when holders of record, such as banks and brokers holding shares on behalf of beneficial owners, do not receive voting instructions from the beneficial holders at least ten days before the Annual Meeting. Broker non-votes will be the equivalent of votes against Proposal 2.

 

Will my shares be voted if I do not provide my proxy?

 

Your shares may be voted if they are held in the name of a brokerage firm, even if you do not provide the brokerage firm with voting instructions. Brokerage firms have the authority under applicable securities rules to cast votes on certain “routine” matters if they do not receive instructions from their customers.

 

The ratification of the independent registered accounting firm is considered a routine matter for which brokerage firms may vote unvoted shares. The election of directors is not considered a routine matter under current securities rules. When a proposal is not a routine matter and the brokerage firm has not received voting instructions from the beneficial owner of the shares with respect to that proposal, the brokerage firm cannot vote the shares on that proposal. This is called a “broker non-vote.” It should be noted that securities rules previously considered the election of directors to be a “routine” matter for which brokerage firms could vote in the election of directors if the record holder had not received instructions on how to vote from the beneficial owner. Accordingly, given this recent change, it is particularly important that beneficial owners instruct their brokers how they wish to vote their shares.

 

Who will count the votes?

 

Individuals designated by the Board will count the votes and serve as inspectors of election. The inspectors of election will be present at the Annual Meeting.

General

 

Who will pay the cost of this proxy solicitation?

 

The Company will pay the costs of soliciting proxies. Upon request, the Company will reimburse brokers, dealers, banks and trustees, or their nominees, for reasonable expenses incurred by them in forwarding proxy materials to beneficial owners of shares of the Common Stock.

 

How are proxies being solicited for use at the Annual Meeting?

 

All solicitations on behalf of the Board will be preceded by this Proxy Statement. Officers, directors and employees of the Company may, for no additional consideration, contact stockholdersStockholders by telephone, e-mail or similar means in order to encourage them to send in proxies.

 

How are proxy materials being delivered?

 

Proxy materials are being delivered to all holders by mail.

 

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Annual Meeting to be held on November 3, 2017.July 9, 2021: The Company’s Proxy Statement and Annual Report to Stockholders for the fiscal year ended December 31, 20162020 are available on the Internet atwww.viewproxy.com/ProLung/2017IONIQ/2020..

3

PROPOSAL 1

ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

 

Composition ofHas the BoardCompany received notice from one or more Stockholders that they intend to nominate director candidates at the Annual Meeting?

 

The Board currently consists of six directors. All directors serve a three-year, staggered term, with two of the current six directors being subject to re-election each year.No.

 

The current composition ofUnder the Board is:

Todd Morgan, Chairman
Steven C. Eror
Robin L. Smith
Robert W. Raybould
John C. Ruckdeschel
J. Scott Nixon

The Board recommends that stockholders
voteFOR both nominees listed below.

Nominees for Election as Directors

At the Meeting, the Company proposes to elect two directors to hold office until the 2020 Annual Meeting of StockholdersFirst Amended and until their successors have been elected and have qualified. The two nominees of the Board for election at the Meeting are Robert W. Raybould and Todd Morgan. Both nominees are currently serving as a directorRestated Bylaws of the Company and have consented(the “Bylaws”), a Stockholder may submit a proposal to be named as a nominee. Stockholders voting in person or by proxy at the Meeting may only vote for two nominees. If, prior to the Meeting, any of the nominees becomes unable to serve as a director, the Board may designate a substitute nominee. In that event, the persons named as proxies intend to vote for the substitute nominee designatedvoted on by the Board.

The Board believes that both Mr. Raybould and Mr. Morgan possess the experience and qualifications that directorsStockholders of the Company should possess, as describedto change the number of directors composing the Board. Such amendment must be proposed in detail below, and thataccordance with the experience and qualifications of each nominee compliments the experience and qualifications of the other nominee and directors. The experience and qualifications of each nominee and other members of the Board, including information regarding the specific experience, qualifications, attributes and skills that led the Board, to conclude that he or she should serve as a director of the Company at the present time, in light of the Company’s business and structure, arerequirements set forth onin the following pages.Bylaws, which, among other things, include valid and timely submission.

 

4

 

Robert W. Raybould, age 81. Mr. Raybould has served as one of our directors since January 2012. Mr. Raybould began his career inWhat are the U.S. Army and Eastman Kodak and became a financial planner. In 1971, he co-founded Realvest (a real estate investment company) and then sold its holdings between 1981 and 1984. Realvest again syndicated real estate in the early 1990’s and sold in 1997. In 1987, Mr. Raybould assisted in founding TRI Capital Corporation (a mortgage-banking firm) and served as a member of its Board of Directors until 2005. In 1995, he assisted in the formation of DTM Research, LLC and served as Chairman of the Board from its formation until 2006. In 1999, he founded Greenhill Financial (now Arlington Value Capital, LLC) and served as one of its managing partners until 2006. From 2007 to present, Mr. Raybould has been actively investing in companies. Mr. Raybould holds a BS in Banking and Finance and an MBA from the University of Utah.fiscal year end dates?

 

We believe that Mr. RaybouldThis Proxy Statement provides information about the matters to be voted on at the Annual Meeting and additional information about IONIQ Sciences and its executive officers and directors. Some of the information is well qualified to serveprovided as of the end of our 2019 or 2020 fiscal years and some of the information is provided as of a director due to his extensive experience in finance.more recent date. Our fiscal year 2019 ended on December 31, 2019 and our fiscal year 2020 ended on December 31, 2020.

 

Todd Morgan, age 65. Mr. Morgan has served as one of our directors since January 2014 and was appointedWhere can I find the Chairman of the Board in April 2016. He began his career with The West Bend Company in the sales department and served as the District Manager from 1974 to 1981. He started Morgan Industries in 1982. Morgan Industries owns Morgan Pavement Inc. (an asphalt paving and maintenance company). Morgan Industries Inc. also owns Nurock Asphalt (a company which currently manufactures and sells asphalt maintenance products). Mr. Morgan currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Morgan Industries Inc. In 2008, Mr. Morgan formed MPM Investment Group LP and currently serves as general partner and manager. Mr. Morgan served on the Board of Directors of America West Bank from 2004 to 2009. Mr. Morgan is also serving on the Board of Directors of Ellison Ranching Company. We believe that Mr. Morgan is well qualified to serve as a director due to his extensive experience in business management.voting results?

 

The Board believes that Mr. Morgan’s business education, expertise, and extensive operational and financial experience qualify him for service asWe intend to announce preliminary voting results at the Annual Meeting. We will disclose the preliminary results in a memberCurrent Report on Form 8-K, which we expect to file following the Annual Meeting. You can obtain a copy of the Board.Form 8-K by logging on to our website at https://ioniqsciences.com/investor-relations/financial-information/sec-filings/, or by visiting the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (the “SEC”) public reference room at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549, or through the EDGAR system at www.sec.gov. Information on our website does not constitute part of the Company’s proxy solicitation materials.

 

DIRECTORS WHOSE TERMS OF OFFICE CONTINUEWhom should I call if I have questions about the Annual Meeting?

 

Steven C. Eror, age 64 Mr. Eror has 26 years of executive experience in the following areas: medical device, drug development, molecular modeling, biopharmaceuticals, information technology and manufacturing in public, private and emerging companies. He is our Chief Executive Officer, President and Director in February 2005. Mr. Eror served as Chief Executive Officer of MacroMed, Inc. (which focuses on injectable and oral drug delivery, breast and esophageal cancer therapeutics, analgesics and immunotherapy) from 2002For Registered Holders to 2004. He also served as the Chief Executive Officer of Consonus (an IT application service provider with operations throughout the western U.S.) from 2000 to 2001. Mr. Eror was the Chief Financial Officer of Pharmadigm (which focuses on injectable anti-inflammatory for severe burns, asthma and wound healing) from 1996 to 2000. Prior to this, he was Chief Financial Officer of Evans and Sutherland Computer Corporation (NASDAQ: ESCC) (which focuses on simulation technology including molecular modeling) from 1994 to 1996. In addition, he has held senior development, financial and management positions at Guardian Industries and Ford Motor Company. He has served as an adjunct Professor of Finance at the David Eccles Graduate School of Business, University of Utah where he received a BA in Economics and French and an MBA. Mr. Eror’s term as director expires in 2019.vote: www.FCRVote.com/IONQ

 

We believe that Mr. Eror is well qualifiedFor Registered Holders to serve as a director and officer due to his extensive experience as an executive of medical and technology companies.

Mr. Eror is the father-in-law of Michael Garff, the Company’s Chief Operating Officer.vote via Phone, please call: 1-866-402-3905

 

John C. Ruckdeschel MD, age 71. Dr. Ruckdeschel has served as one of our directors since May 2016The Company’s Proxy Statement and is chairman of our Science and Technology Committee. Dr. John C. Ruckdeschel currently serves asAnnual Report to Stockholders for the director of the Cancer Institute and Ergon Chair of Cancer Research at the University of Mississippi Medical Center as Cancer Institute. Dr. Ruckdeschel also servedfiscal year ended December 31, 2020 are available on the Health Advisory Board from 2010 to 2012Internet at the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada. Previously, Dr. Ruckdeschel served as the Medical Director of Clinical Oncologywww.viewproxy.com/IONIQ/2020 or call IONIQ Sciences at Intermountain Healthcare in Salt Lake City, Utah. In 2009, Dr. Ruckdeschel joined the Nevada Cancer Institute, where he worked until 2011 when he joined Intermountain Healthcare. In 2001, Dr. Ruckdeschel became Chief Executive officer and Director of Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit, Michigan. Dr. Ruckdeschel served on the staff801-736-0729.

If you have any questions or require any assistance with voting, please contact IONIQ Sciences at Albany Medical College for a decade beginning in 1991, before he assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer and Director of the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida. Dr. Ruckdeschel received his B.S. degree in Biology from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and his MD from Albany Medical College in New York. He trained as an intern at John Hopkins Medical Center, fulfilled a residency at Boston’s Beth Israel Hospital and completed a fellowship at the National Cancer Institute in Washington D.C. Dr. Ruckdeschel is a fellow of the American College of Physicians as well as the American College of Chest Physicians. Dr. Ruckdeschel has also written and co-written more than 350 publications, book chapters and abstracts, and has given more than 250 invited presentations. Mr. Ruckdeschel’s term as director expires in 2018.801-736-0729.

 

5

 

We believe that Dr. Ruckdeschel is well qualified to serve as a director due to his extensive experience as a director and officer of medical organizations.

 

Robin L. Smith, MD MBA, age 51. Dr. Smith has served as one of our directors since February 2017. Dr. Smith has extensive experience serving in executive and board-level capacities for various medical enterprises and health care–based entities. She currently is Chairman of the Board of Directors of MYnd Analytics (NASDAQ: MYND, formerly CNS Response), serves on the Board of Directors of Rockwell Medical (NASDAQ: RMTI), the advisory board of Hooper Holmes (OTCQX: HPHW) and is co-chairman of the Life Sci advisory board on gender diversity. She is Vice President and member of the Board of Directors of the Science and Faith STOQ Foundation in Rome and serves on Sanford Health’s International Board and the Board of Overseers at the NYU Langone Medical Center in NYC. She previously served on the Board of Trustees of the NYU Langone Medical Center and is a past Chairman of the Board of Directors for the New York University Hospital for Joint Diseases and was on the board of directors of Signal Genetics (NASDAQ: SGNL) and BioXcel Corporation.Dr. Smith earned a B.A. from Yale University, an MBA from The Wharton School University of Pennsylvania, and an M.D. from Yale University School of Medicine. Ms. Smith’s term as director expires in 2019.

We believe that Dr. Smith is well qualified to serve as a director due to her extensive experience as a director of medical device and biotechnology companies.

J. Scott Nixon, age 57. Mr. Nixon, a Certified Public Accountant, has served as one of our directors since November 2016. Mr. Nixon retired in 2015 as a partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) where he spent over 31 years in various roles including Office Managing Partner and engagement partner over public and private companies in many industries. His career involved providing audit and business advisory services. Mr. Nixon was involved in numerous complex filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission on behalf of his clients. In 2007, Mr. Nixon returned from a four-year assignment in São Paulo, Brazil where he represented various interests of the PwC global firm to the 18-member firms in South and Central America, and led the implementation and compliance of the Sarbanes-Oxley requirements in those countries. Mr. Nixon serves on several boards of directors, including Deseret Trust Company as a member of the Audit and Executive Committees since 2015 and Utah State University Board of Trustees, as Chairman of the Audit Committee since 2011. Mr. Nixon is currently a Trustee, Vice Chairman and a member of the Executive Committee of MountainWest Capital Network and is a National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) Governance Fellow. He holds both a BA and Master of Accounting from Utah State University. Mr. Nixon’s term as director expires in 2018.

We believe that Mr. Nixon is well qualified to serve as a director due to his extensive experience as a public accountant.

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

In addition to Steven C. Eror, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, whose biographical information is set forth above, the following individuals serve as executive officers of the Company.

Mark V. Anderson, age 49. Mr. Anderson, became our Chief Financial Officer in June 2017. Prior to joining us, Mr. Anderson was a partner with Eide Bailly LLP and previously Hansen, Barnett and Maxwell, both public accounting firms. During Mr. Anderson’s 24 years in public accounting his roles included Quality Control Director and engagement partner over public and private companies in many industries, including work on filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission on behalf of his clients. Mr. Anderson holds both a Bachelor of Science and Masters of Professional Accounting degree from Weber State University.

Michael Garff, age 34. Mr. Garff has served as our Chief Operating Officer since May 2009. Prior to joining us, he worked at the Pierre Lassonde New Venture Development Center where he served as a Director from 2007 to 2009. Mr. Garff worked as a business analyst for the Biomedical Informatics Department of the University of Utah from 2008 to 2009. Mr. Garff was a project manager at US Bank from 2005 to 2008. Mr. Garff received a BA in Business Finance and an MBA from the University of Utah.

Mr. Garff is the son-in-law of Steven C. Eror, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer.

Jeff O’Driscoll, MD, age 55. Dr. O’Driscoll became our Chief Medical Officer in March 2015. He served as one of our directors from August 2015 to May 2017. Dr. O’Driscoll has practiced as an emergency physician since 1992, first with Salt Lake Emergency Physicians and then with Utah Emergency Physicians, LLC. Since 2004, Dr. O’Driscoll has served as an Assistant Adjunct Professor at the University of Utah College of Medicine. Since 2008, Dr. O’Driscoll has served as the Medical Director of the Valley Emergency Communication Center (the 911 Call Center for Salt Lake Valley). From 2010 to 2013, Dr. O’Driscoll was the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Dolor Technologies, LLC, which markets and sells a medical device co-invented by Dr. O’Driscoll for treating migraine headaches. Dr. O’Driscoll earned a BS in Microbiology from Brigham Young University and an M.D. from the University of Utah College of Medicine.

Rex Yung, MD, age 60. Dr. Yung has served as our Chief Science Officer since August 2017. Dr. Yung was in the pulmonary and critical care division at The Greater Baltimore Medical Center, where he has served from August 2014 to July 2017. Previous to that, Dr. Yung served from January 2000 until December 2013 as the Director of Pulmonary Oncology and Director of Bronchoscopy at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, appointed jointly to the Departments of Medicine and Oncology. He remains an adjunct faculty in the department of oncology at the Johns Hopkins University school of Medicine. Dr. Yung had served as an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Southern California, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine from 1995 to 1999 and as an Instructor of Clinical Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco from 1994 to 1995 where he had obtained his fellowship training in pulmonary and critical care medicine. Dr. Yung is a Fellow on the American College of Chest Physicians (FCCP) and a fellow of the Asian Pacific Society of Respirology (FAPSR). He is board certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine and had served on the executive and editorial boards of the American Association of Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology (AABIP) and the Journal of Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology, he was treasurer and executive board member of the World Association of Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology (WABIP). He has also held leadership positions on various other national and international medical societies (ACCP, APSR). Dr. Yung is the co-founder of Achel AI – an artificial intelligence medical analytics company focusing on selection and matching of sponsors of clinical trials with researchers and patients, based in Sweden, and he has been a key clinical advisor to multiple medical technology device and analytic companies including PneumRx (BTG), Sanovas Inc, Olympus Endoscopy, Uptake Medical, Reframe Health (CN). Dr. Yung graduated from Harvard University with a BA (cum laude) in Biology and received his MD from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA).

7

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

 

Board Composition

 

Our bylawsBylaws provide that the Board shall consist of one or more members, with such number to be determined by the Board. The whole Board currently consists of six members. In accordance with our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), our Board is divided into three classes. At each annual general meeting of stockholders,Stockholders, the successors to directors whose terms then expire will be elected to serve from the time of election and qualification until the third annual meeting following election. Our directors are currently divided among the three classes as follows:

 

 The Class I directors are Robert W. Raybould and Todd Morgan. Their termsdirector is Jim Hogan. His term will expire at the 2020 Annual Meeting of ProLung Stockholders to be held on July 9, 2021. Jim Hogan is seeking re-election for a term that will expire at the annual meeting of stockholdersStockholders to be held on November 3, 2017;in 2023.
   
 The Class II directors are John C. RuckdeschelDavid Nielsen, Jared Bauer and J. Scott Nixon.Leavitt Partners (designee is Rich McKeown). Their terms will expire at the annual meeting2021 Annual Meeting of stockholders to be held in 2018; andProLung Stockholders.
   
 The Class III directors are Robin L. SmithDon A. Patterson and Steven C. Eror.Michael A. Garff. Their terms will expire at the annual meeting2022 Annual Meeting of stockholders to be held in 2019.ProLung Stockholders.

 

We expect that any additional directorships resulting from an increase or decrease in the number of directors will be distributed among the three classes so that, as nearly as possible, each class will consist of one-third of the directors. The division of our Board into three classes with staggered three-year terms may delay or prevent a change of our management or a change in control.

 

Each director is expected to devote sufficient time, energy and attention to ensure diligent performance of his or her duties and to attend all Board, committee and stockholders’ meetings. The Board met eight times during 2016 and approved a number of matters by written consent. All directors attended at least 75% of the meetings of the Board, and all members of a committee of the Board attended at last 75% of the meetings of that committee, during the year ended December 31, 2016.

The Board does not have a policy requiring that directors attend annual meetings. The Company did not hold an annual meeting in 2016;meetings; however, all of the directors expect to attend the upcoming annual meeting of the CompanyAnnual Meeting to be held on November 3, 2017.July 9, 2021.

 

Involvement in Legal Proceedings

 

To our knowledge, none of our directors or executive officers has,have, during the past ten10 years, been involved in any legal proceedings described in subparagraph (f) of Item 401 of Regulation S-K.

 

Board Leadership Structure and Role in Risk Oversight

Mr. Todd Morgan currently serves as the Chairman of the Board. The Board believes that the separate roles of Chairman of the Board and chief executive officer currently provides the preferred form of leadership for the Company. The Board believes that the depth of Mr. Morgan’s business education, expertise, and executive management, leadership and entrepreneurial experience qualify him for service as Chairman of the Board. The Company also benefits from Mr. Morgan’s extensive operational and financial experience and knowledge.

 

The Board believes that no single leadership model is appropriate for all companies at all times. The Board recognizes that, depending on the circumstances, other leadership models, such as having the same person serve as Chairman (or, in the absence of the Chairman of the Board, the Vice Chair of the Board) and Chief Executive Officer may be appropriate. Based upon the Company’s future needs and resources, the Board may determine to modify the existing leadership structure in the future.

Board Risk Oversight

 

The Board is involved in assessing and managing risks that could affect the Company. One of the roles of the Board is to periodically assess the processes utilized by management with respect to risk assessment and risk management, including identification by management of the principal risks of the Company’s business, and the implementation by management of appropriate systems to deal with such risks. The Board fulfills these responsibilities either directly or, as appropriate, through delegation to individual directors or committees.

 

The Audit Committee is generally responsible for oversight of risks such as those relating to the quality and integrity of the Company’s financial reports and the independence and qualifications of the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm.

Risks of Employee Compensation Program

 

The Company’s management and the Compensation Committee have assessed the risks associated with our compensation policies and practices for all employees, including non-executive officers. Based on the results of this assessment, we do not believe that our compensation policies and practices for all employees, including non-executive officers, create risks that are reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company.

 

6

Director Independence

 

We have applied to have our Common Stock listed on the NASDAQ Capital Market. Under the NASDAQ Stock Market LLC, or NASDAQ, Marketplace Rules, or the NASDAQ Listing Rules, independent directors must comprise a majority of our Board as a public company within one year of listing. Based upon information requested from and provided by each director concerning his or her background, employment and affiliations, including family relationships, our Board has determined that Robert W. Raybould, Todd Morgan, John C. Ruckdeschel, J. Scott Nixon,Don A. Patterson, Jim Hogan, David Nielsen and Robin L. SmithRich McKeown, representing fivefour of our six directors, do not have any relationships that would interfere with the exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director and that each of these directors is “independent” as that term is defined under the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and the NASDAQNasdaq Listing Rules. OurDue to his role as the Chief Executive Officer, the Board has determined that Steven C. ErorJared Bauer is not independent under the applicable rules and regulations of the SECSEC. Due to his role as the Chief Operating Officer, the remaining Board has determined that Michael A. Garff is not independent under the applicable rules and regulations of the NASDAQ Listing Rules.SEC. In making this determination, with respect to non-employee directors, our Board considered the current and prior relationships that each non-employee director has with our companythe Company and all other facts and circumstances our Board deemed relevant in determining their independence, including the beneficial ownership of our capital stock by each non-employee director.

 

Clark Campbell, Dennis Tulane, Richard McKeown, Jeffrey S. O’Driscoll,Communicating Concerns to Directors

Stockholders and Tim Treu all previously servedother interested parties may communicate with one or more directors or the non-management directors as directors during at least parta group in writing by regular mail. The following address may be used by those who wish to send such communications by regular mail:

Board of 2016. During their time as directors, Richard McKeown, Tim Treu and Jeffrey S. O’Driscoll were not independent due to material employmentDirectors or consulting arrangements with the Company. Dennis Tulane and Clark Campbell were independent.Name of Individual Director(s)

c/o Chief Executive Officer

IONIQ Sciences

350 W. 800 N., Suite 214

Salt Lake City, Utah 84013

 

Board Committees

 

Our Board has established an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee“Audit Committee” and a Nominating and Governance“Finance & Compensation Committee. Our Board has also established a Science and Technology Committee consisting of directors, employees and consultants. Members serve on these committees until their resignation or until otherwise determined by our Board. Our Board may establish other committees to facilitate the management of our business. Additional information about the composition and functions of our Audit Committee Compensation Committee and Nominating and GovernanceFinance & Compensation Committee is provided below.

The table below indicates the names of the directors currently serving on the Audit and Finance & Compensation Committees as of the date of this Proxy Statement.

Committees and Current MembershipCommittee Functions

Audit Committee

Don A. Patterson (1)

Michael A. Garff

Serve as an independent and objective party to monitor the Company’s financial reporting process, internal control system and disclosure control system.
Review and appraise the audit efforts of the Company’s independent accountants.
Assume direct responsibility for the appointment, compensation, retention and oversight of the work of the outside auditors and for the resolution of disputes between the outside auditors and the Company’s management regarding financial reporting issues.
Provide an open avenue of communication among the independent accountants, financial and senior management and the Board.

7

Finance & Compensation Committee

Jim Hogan

Review and approve the Company’s compensation and benefit programs. For this purpose, compensation shall include:

David Nielsenannual base salary;
Leavitt Partners (designee Rich McKeown)annual incentive opportunity;
stock option or other equity participation plans;
profit-sharing plans;
long-term incentive opportunity;
the terms of employment agreements, severance agreements and change in control agreements, in each case as, when and if appropriate;
any special or supplemental benefits; and
any other payments that are deemed compensation under applicable SEC rules.

Assist the Board by identifying qualified candidates for director, and recommend to the Board the director nominees for the next annual meeting of Stockholders.
Lead the Board in its annual review of the Board’s performance.
Recommend to the Board director nominees for each Board Committee.
Develop and recommend to the Board corporate governance guidelines applicable to the Company.

(1)“Audit Committee Financial Expert,” as determined by the Board, as such term is currently defined in Item 407(d)(5) of Regulation S-K.

None of the members of our Compensation Committee are or have been officers or employees of us or any of our subsidiaries or had during 2020 a relationship requiring disclosure as a related party transaction.

 

Audit Committee

The Audit Committee is responsible for assisting our Board in its oversight of the integrity of our financial statements, the qualifications and independence of our independent auditors and our internal financial and accounting controls. The Audit Committee has direct responsibility for the appointment, compensation, retention, termination and oversight of our independent auditors, and our independent auditors report directly to the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee also prepares the Audit Committee report that the SEC requires to be included in our annual proxy statement.

 

Our Audit Committee currently consists of J. Scott Nixon, Todd MorganMessrs. Patterson and Robert W. Raybould. Our Board has determined that Mr. Nixon, Mr. Morgan and Mr. Raybould are independent under the NASDAQ Listing Rules and Rule 10A-3(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act.Garff. The chair of our Audit Committee is Mr. Nixon.Patterson. Our Board has determined that Mr. NixonPatterson is an “audit committee financial expert” as such term is currently defined in Item 407(d)(5) of Regulations S-K. Our Board has also determined that each member of our Audit Committee can read and understand fundamental financial statements, in accordance with applicable requirements. In arriving at these determinations, the Board has examined each Audit Committee member’s scope of experience and the nature of their employment in the corporate finance sector.

 

The Board has adopted a written Audit Committee Charter, a copy of which is available on the Company’s Internet website,www.prolunginc.com.Charter. The Audit Committee met fourinformally a number of times during 2016.2020 for common review, communication on the accuracy of the financial filings and approval for filing.

 

The Report of the Audit Committee is set forth on page 13 of this Proxy Statement.

9

Finance & Compensation Committee

The Compensation Committee approves the compensation objectives for the Company and the compensation of the chief executive officerChief Executive Officer and approves, or recommends to our Board for approval, the compensation for other executives. The Compensation Committee reviews all compensation components, including base salary, bonus, benefits and other perquisites.

 

Our Compensation Committee consists of Mr. Nixon, Mr. MorganMessrs. Hogan, Nielsen and Mr. Raybould.Leavitt Partners (designee Rich McKeown). Our Board has determined that J. Scott Nixon, Todd MorganMessrs. Hogan, Nielsen and Robert W. RaybouldMcKeown are independent under the NASDAQ Listing Rules,and are “non-employee directors” as defined in Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act and are “outside directors” as that term is defined in Section 162(m) of the USU.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or Section 162(m).amended. The chair of our Compensation Committee is Mr. Raybould.Hogan.

 

8

The Board has adopted a written Compensation Committee Charter, a copy of which is available on the Company’s Internet website,www.prolunginc.com.Charter. The Compensation Committee was formed in 2017,2016 then renamed in 2019 to Finance & Compensation Committee, which met two (2) times during 2020.

Meetings and as such did not meet in 2016.Attendance

 

NominatingEach director is expected to devote sufficient time, energy and Governance Committee

The Nominating and Governance Committee makes recommendations regarding corporate governance, the composition of our Board, identification, evaluation and nomination of director candidates and the structure and composition of committees of our Board. In addition, the Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for developing and recommending corporate governance guidelinesattention to our Board, as applicable to the Company.

Our Nominating and Governance Committee consists of Dr. Smith and Dr. Ruckdeschel. The chair of our Nominating and Governance Committee is Dr. Smith. Each member of the Nominating and Governance Committee is a non-employee director within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 of the rules promulgated under the Exchange Act, an independent director and is free from any relationship that would interfere with the exerciseensure diligent performance of his or her duties and to attend all Board, committee and Stockholders’ meetings. In 2020, the Board held nine (9) Board meetings, multiple Audit Committee meetings, two (2) Finance & Compensation Committee meetings. During 2020, each of our directors attended at least 75% of the meetings of the Board and the meetings of the committees of the Board on which that director served. We do not have a policy on whether directors are required to attend annual meetings of Stockholders, although five of our six directors then in office attended the 2019 annual meeting of the Company’s Stockholders.

Executive sessions of independent judgment, as determined by ourdirectors are held, at a minimum, in conjunction with each quarterly Board in accordancemeeting. Any “non-employee director” can request that an executive session be scheduled. The independent directors also meet from time to time with the applicable NASDAQ Listing Rules.Chairman, or, in the absence of a Chairman, the Vice Chair of the Board.

 

TheDirector Nominations and Board has adopted a written Nominating and Governance Committee Charter, a copy of which is available on the Company’s Internet website,www.prolunginc.com. The Nominating and Governance Committee was formed in 2017, and as such did not meet in 2016.Composition

Nomination Process

The policy of the Nominating and Governance Committee is to consider properly-submitted stockholder recommendations for candidates to serve as directors of the Company.

 

When seeking candidates for director, the Nominating and Governance CommitteeBoard may solicit suggestions from incumbent directors, management or others. After conducting an initial evaluation of a candidate, the Nominating and Governance CommitteeBoard of Directors will interview that candidate if it believes the candidate might be suitable to serve as a director. The Nominating and Governance CommitteeBoard of Directors may also ask the candidate to meet with Company management or other members of our Board.management. If the Nominating and Governance CommitteeBoard of Directors believes a candidate would be a valuable addition to the Board, and either there is either a vacancy on the Board or the Nominating and Governance CommitteeBoard of Directors believes it is in the best interests of the Company and our stockholdersStockholders to increase the number of Board members to elect that candidate, it will recommend to the full Board that candidate’s election. To date, the Nominating and Governance CommitteeBoard of Directors has not engaged a professional search firm to assist in identifying candidates for service on the Board.

 

Although no formal diversity policy is in place, in performance of its duties the Board believes that the backgrounds and qualifications of the Board, considered as a group, should provide a significant composite mix of experience, knowledge and abilities that will enable the Board to fulfill its responsibilities. Therefore, the Nominating and Governance CommitteeBoard of Directors considers diversity in identifying nominees for directors, as described in more detail below. In this regard, the Board views diversity in a broad sense, including on the basis of business experience, industry knowledge and experience, public service experience, gender and ethnicity.

 

Before nominating a sitting director for reelectionre-election at an annual stockholderStockholder meeting, the Nominating and Governance CommitteeBoard of Directors will consider the director’s performance on the Board and whether the director’s reelectionre-election would be in the best interests of the Company’s stockholdersStockholders and consistent with the Company’s corporate governance guidelines and the Company’s continued compliance with its contractual obligations and applicable law, rules and regulations.

The Board believes that it should be comprised of directors with diverse and complementary backgrounds, and that directors should have expertise that, at a minimum, may be useful to the Company and may contribute to the success of the Company’s business. Directors also should possess the highest personal and professional ethics and should be willing and able to devote an amount of time sufficient to effectively carry out their duties and contribute to the success of the Company’s business. When considering candidates for director, the Nominating and Governance CommitteeBoard of Directors takes into account a number of factors, including the following:

 

 Independence from management;
 
Age, gender and ethnic background;
 Relevant business experience;
 
Judgment, skill and integrity;
 Existing commitments to other businesses;
 
Potential conflicts of interest;
 
Corporate governance background;
 Financial and accounting background;
 
Executive compensation background; and
 Size and composition of the existing Board.

 

9

The Nominating and Governance CommitteeBoard of Directors will consider candidates for director suggested by stockholdersStockholders by considering the foregoing criteria and the additional information referred to below. Under the Company’s policy on stockholderStockholder recommendations, it is obligated only to accept recommendations from persons or groups who have held 5% or more of the Company’s common stockCommon Stock for more than a year, and only one nominee from each such group. Stockholders wishing to suggest a candidate for director should write to ProLung, Inc.IONIQ Sciences, Attn: Board of Directors, 350 W. 800 N., Attn: Nominating Committee Chair, 757 East South Temple, Suite 150,214, Salt Lake City, Utah 8401284013 and include the following:

 

 The name and address of the stockholderStockholder and a statement that he, she or it is a stockholderStockholder of the Company and is proposing a candidate for consideration by the Nominating and Governance Committee;
Board of Directors;
 The class and number of shares of Common Stock owned by the stockholderStockholder as of the record date for the annual stockholderStockholder meeting (if such date has been announced) and as of the date of the notice, and the length of time such stockholderStockholder has held such shares;
 The name, age and address of the candidate;
 
A description of the candidate’s business and educational experience;
 The class and number of shares of Common Stock, if any, owned by the candidate, and length of time such candidate has held such shares;
 
Information regarding each of the foregoing criteria the Nominating and Governance CommitteeBoard of Directors generally considers, other than the factor regarding Board size and composition, sufficient to enable the Nominating and Governance CommitteeBoard of Directors to evaluate the candidate;
 A description of any relationship between the candidate and any customer, supplier or competitor of the Company or any actual or potential conflict of interest;
 
A description of any relationship or understanding between the stockholderStockholder and the candidate; and
 A statement that the candidate is willing to be considered and willing to serve as a director if nominated and elected.

 

The Nominating and Governance Committee did not receive any nominations from any stockholders for the 2017 annual meeting.

Stockholder Communications with the Board

Stockholders and other interested parties may communicate with one or more directors or the non-management directors as a group in writing by regular mail. The following address may be used by those who wish to send such communications by regular mail:

Board of Directors or Name of Individual Director(s)

c/o President and Chief Executive Officer

ProLung, Inc.

757 East South Temple, Suite 150

Salt Lake City, Utah 84012

Compensation Processes and Procedures

 

Compensation is determined by our Finance & Compensation Committee in accordance with the Compensation Committee Charter. Compensation decisions are based upon the Finance & Compensation Committee’s subjective determination of what salaries the Company can afford with its limited resources and what level of equity-based compensation is necessary to attract and retain key personnel. Based upon the subjective knowledge of the industry and other public companies, the Company believes that its salaries currently in place or proposed for its executive officers are at market for early stageearly-stage biotechnology companies; however, the Board of Directors has conducted no formal survey or comparison.

 

Steven C. ErorJared Bauer, CEO, consults with the Finance & Compensation Committee about compensation of individuals other than himself. The Finance & Compensation Committee cannot delegate its authority.

 

10

PROPOSAL 1 – ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

Composition of the Board

Our Bylaws provide that the Board shall consist of one or more members, with such number to be determined by the Board. The whole Board currently consists of six members. In accordance with our Certificate of Incorporation, our Board is divided into three classes. At each annual meeting of Stockholders, the successors to directors whose terms then expire will be elected to serve from the time of election and qualification until the third annual meeting following election. Our directors are currently divided among the three classes as follows:

The Class I director is Jim Hogan. His term will expire at the 2020 Annual Meeting of ProLung Shareholders to be held on July 9, 2021.
The Class II directors are David Nielsen, Jared Bauer and Leavitt Partners (designee Rich McKeown). Their terms will expire at the 2021 Annual Meeting of ProLung Shareholders.
The Class III directors are Don A. Patterson and Michael A. Garff. Their terms will expire at the 2022 Annual Meeting of ProLung Shareholders.

We expect that any additional directorships resulting from an increase or decrease in the number of directors will be distributed among the three classes so that, as nearly as possible, each class will consist of one-third of the directors. The division of our Board into three classes with staggered three-year terms may delay or prevent a change of our management or a change in control.

Nominee for Election as Director

At the Annual Meeting, the Company proposes to elect one director to hold office until the 2023 annual meeting of Stockholders and until his or her successor has been elected and qualified. The nominee of the Board for election at the Annual Meeting is Mr. Jim Hogan. The nominee is currently serving as director of the Company. Mr. Hogan has consented to serve as a nominee, serve as a director if elected and be named as nominee. If, prior to the Annual Meeting, Mr. Hogan becomes unable to serve as a director, the Board may designate a substitute nominee. In that event, the person or people named as proxy intends to vote for the substitute nominee designated by the Board.

The Board believes that Mr. Hogan possess the experience and qualifications that directors of the Company should possess, as described in detail below, and that their experience and qualifications complement the experience and qualifications of the other directors. The experience and qualifications of the nominees and other members of the Board, including information regarding the specific experience, qualifications, attributes and skills that led the Board to conclude that he should serve as a director of the Company at the present time, in light of the Company’s business and structure, are set forth in this Proxy Statement.

Jim Hogan, MBA; Director – Mr. Hogan, age 64, is currently an IONIQ Director and has served his entire professional career in the medtech industry in multiple locations in the USA and abroad. After rising to the role of Director of Sales and Marketing for Pfizer Europe in London, he successfully founded two medtech companies and led two others. These four start-up medtech companies were all successfully exited. Mr. Hogan recently retired from Medtronic, one of the world’s largest medtech companies, where he was President of Medtronic Latin America, corporate Vice President, and appointed to the company’s Sr. Executive Committee. Mr. Hogan has deep operational, sales, marketing, and general management expertise with medical devices and therapeutics in some of the smallest and largest medtech companies in the world. Mr. Hogan remains dedicated to health-related philanthropic endeavors from his home in Park City, Utah. Mr. Hogan holds a BA in Chemistry and Psychology in addition to a MBA from the University of Minnesota. We believe that Mr. Hogan is well qualified to serve as a director due to his extensive medtech business experience.

The Board recommends that Stockholders

vote FOR the nominee listed above.

11

PROPOSAL 2 – RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

Background

The Audit Committee has recommended and approved the appointment of Sadler Gibb, LLC as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm (independent auditors) to examine the consolidated financial statements of the Company for the year ending December 31, 2020. The Company is seeking Stockholder ratification of such action.

It is expected that representatives of Sadler Gibb will not attend the Annual Meeting and will not be available to make a statement or respond to questions at that time.

Fees Paid to Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

The following table summarizes the fees of MaloneBailey, LLP (“MaloneBailey”) and Sadler, Gibb & Associates LLC (Sadler Gibb), our independent auditors, billed to us for each of the last two fiscal years for audit services and billed to us in each of the last two years for other services. The Company switched from MaloneBailey to Sadler Gibb after the 2Q19 10-Q.

  2020  2019 
Audit Fees $46,000  $45,000 
Audit-Related Fees  -   - 
Tax Fees  -   - 
All Other Fees  -   - 
Total $46,000  $45,000 

Audit Fees. Audit fees consist of amounts billed for professional services rendered for the audit of our annual consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Reports on Forms 10-K, reviews of our interim consolidated financial statements included in our Quarterly Reports on Forms 10-Q and related matters.

Audit-Related Fees. Audit-Related Fees consist of fees billed for professional services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of our consolidated financial statements but are not reported under “Audit Fees.”

Tax Fees. Tax Fees consist of fees billed for professional services for tax compliance activities, including the preparation of federal and state tax returns and related compliance matters.

All Other Fees. All other fees consist of aggregate fees billed for products and services provided by the independent auditor, other than those disclosed above.

Our Board has determined that all non-audit services provided by Sadler Gibb were compatible with maintaining that firm’s audit independence.

The Audit Committee has established pre-approval policies and procedures requiring that the Audit Committee approve in advance any engagement of the independent auditors to render audit or non-audit services. As a result, all engagements during 2020 and 2019 of the independent auditors to render audit or non-audit services were approved by the Audit Committee.

The Board recommends that Stockholders

vote FOR the ratification of appointment of

Sadler Gibb, LLC as the Company’s Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

(Independent Auditors) for the year ending December 31, 2020.

12

REPORT OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE TO STOCKHODERS

The information contained in this Audit Committee Report and references in this Proxy Statement to the independence of the Audit Committee members shall not be deemed to be “soliciting material” or to be “filed” with the SEC, nor shall such information be incorporated by reference into any future filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) or the Exchange Act, except to the extent that the Company specifically incorporates such information by reference in such filing.

The Audit Committee is a separately designated standing committee of the Board established in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Exchange Act and operates under a written charter approved by the Board.

 

The Audit Committee provides oversight of the Company’s accounting and financial reporting processes, systems of internal accounting and financial controls and the audits of the Company’s financial statements. The Audit Committee reviewed with the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm and management the financial information included in the Company’s audited financial statements. All members of the Audit Committee are “independent,” as defined in the Marketplace Rules of The Nasdaq Stock Market.

 

Management is responsible for the Company’s internal controls and financial reporting process. The Company’s independent registered public accounting firm is responsible for performing an audit of the Company’s financial statements in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards in the United States of AmericaU.S. and for expressing an opinion on those financial statements based on its audit. The Audit Committee reviews these processes on behalf of the Board.

 

In connectionThe Audit Committee has reviewed and discussed with our management and the independent auditors the audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2016, the Audit Committee has:

(1)reviewed and discussed the audited financial statements with management;
(2)discussed with MaloneBailey, LLP, the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, the matters required to be discussed by the Statement on Auditing Standards No. 61, as amended and as adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “PCAOB”); and
(3)received the written disclosure and letter from MaloneBailey, LLP regarding the auditors’ independence required by PCAOB Standards, and has discussed with the independent auditors the independent auditor’s independence.

Based upon these reviews and discussions, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board that the Company’s audited financial statements be included in theour Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016,2020, including a discussion of the quality, not just the acceptability, of the accounting principles applied, the reasonableness of significant judgments and the clarity of disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Management represented to the Audit Committee that our consolidated financial statements were prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. The Audit Committee discussed with the independent auditors the matters required to be discussed by Statement on Auditing Standards No.16, as amended and as adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”) and all other matters required to be discussed by PCAOB.

Our independent accountants also provided to the Audit Committee the written disclosure required by applicable requirements of the PCAOB regarding independent accountant’s communications with the Audit Committee concerning independence. The Audit Committee discussed with the independent accountants that firm’s independence.

Based on the Audit Committee’s discussions with management and the independent auditors, and the Audit Committee’s review of the representations of management and the report of the independent auditors to the Audit Committee, the Audit Committee recommended that the Board include the audited consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Board approved this inclusion.SEC. At the 2019 Annual Meeting of the ProLung Shareholders, the Shareholders ratified the selection of MaloneBailey as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm (independent auditors) for the year ending December 31, 2019.

Audit Committee:

Don A. Patterson (Chairman)

Michael A. Garff

 

The Audit Committeeforegoing report of the audit committee to Stockholders is not soliciting material,is not deemed to be filed with the SEC and is not incorporated by reference in any of our filings under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, whether made before or after the date hereof and irrespective of any general incorporation language in any such filings.

13

CURRENT DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE COMPANY

 

J. Scott Nixon, ChairThe names, ages and principal occupations of the Company’s directors and executive officers who are deemed participants in the solicitation are set forth below. The name of the participants’ organization of employment are as follows and, unless otherwise set forth below, the principal business address of each such person is c/o IONIQ Sciences, Inc., 350 W. 800 N., Suite 214, Salt Lake City, Utah 84103:

Todd Morgan

Name Age Title Director or Officer Since
Jared B. Bauer 39 Chief Executive Officer and Director 2018
Michael A. Garff 38 Chief Operating Officer and Director 2009
Don A. Patterson 68 Director 2019
Jim Hogan 64 Director 2019
David Nielsen 48 Director 2019
Leavitt Partners (designee Rich McKeown) 74 Director 2019

Robert W. Raybould

Jared B. Bauer, MBA; Chief Executive Officer and Director – Mr. Bauer, age 39, was appointed Interim Chief Executive Officer in September 2018 and then Chief Executive Officer in October 2019. Mr. Bauer has focused his professional endeavors on the medtech industry and is also the CEO of Cibus Biotechnologies Inc. In 2012, Mr. Bauer acquired BurnFree Products, and in just two years with a focus on sustainable revenue generation, led the team to expand BurnFree distribution to 58 countries, managing regulatory processes, re-working quality systems and making BurnFree the second largest burn treatment product line in the world. Mr. Bauer currently serves as a trustee of The Oliver Fund, a non-profit he co-founded, Chairman of the BioUtah SLC Biotech Initiative Advisory Committee, Board member of the BioHive, and recently served as an adjunct professor of entrepreneurship at Ensign College. He holds a BS in Economics from the University of Utah, and an MBA from Boise State University.

Michael A. Garff, MBA; Chief Operating Officer and Director – Mr. Garff, age 38, joined the Company as Chief Operating Officer in June 2009. At the Company, he obtained European regulatory approval (CE Mark), organized manufacturing, acquired clinical sites at premier cancer hospitals, and designed and implemented a certified ISO 13485 quality management system. Currently, he oversees the Company’s product development, manufacturing, clinical studies, regulatory affairs, FDA submissions, quality audits, data analysis, and patents. Prior to working at the Company, he was involved with the Pierre Lassonde Entrepreneur Center, where he served as a director and helped launch several biomedical companies. Previously, Mr. Garff earned a reputation as an organization builder and effective project manager at the Biomedical Informatics Department of the University of Utah and US Bank. His commercialization experience and entrepreneurial attitude towards challenges gives him an uncommon perspective in developing technology into products and creating successful companies. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Finance and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Utah. We believe that Mr. Garff is well qualified to serve as a director and officer due to his extensive business experience and history with the Company.

Don A. Patterson; Director – Mr. Patterson, age 68, has a broad range of experience. He began his professional career in public accounting and worked for both large and small firms as a CPA for 24 years. During this time, he developed expertise in financial analysis and was significantly involved in merger and acquisition (M&A) activities. He has been involved in multiple boards of directors for companies ranging in size from small, closely-held companies to large privately-held, publicly listed companies. In one instance where he served on the boards of two NASDAQ-listed and affiliated firms as the Chair of the Audit Committee and a member of the Compensation Committee, he was directly involved in the sales negotiation to an investment bank. He has also been one of the founders in various entrepreneurial ventures, including manufacturing, distribution, intellectual property (IP) development and prosecution. His primary pursuit for the past 19 years has been in the development and licensing of patents involving manufacturing processes used in the home products industry. Mr. Patterson currently resides in Gilbert, Arizona and holds a BA degree in accounting from Arizona State University. We believe that Mr. Patterson is well qualified to serve as a director due to his extensive finance experience and history with the Company.

14

Jim Hogan, MBA; Director – Mr. Hogan, age 64, served his entire professional career in the medtech industry in multiple locations in the USA and abroad. After rising to the role of Director of Sales and Marketing for Pfizer Europe in London, he successfully founded two medtech companies and led two others. These four start-up medtech companies were all successfully exited. Mr. Hogan recently retired from Medtronic, one of the world’s largest medtech companies, where he was President of Medtronic Latin America, corporate Vice President, and appointed to the company’s Sr. Executive Committee. Mr. Hogan has deep operational, sales, marketing, and general management expertise with medical devices and therapeutics in some of the smallest and largest medtech companies in the world. Mr. Hogan remains dedicated to health-related philanthropic endeavors from his home in Park City, Utah. Mr. Hogan holds a BA in Chemistry and Psychology in addition to a MBA from the University of Minnesota. We believe that Mr. Hogan is well qualified to serve as a director due to his extensive medtech business experience.

David Nielsen, MBA; Director – Mr. Nielsen, age 48, is currently a partner at SaltRidge consulting, which is a medtech product development company, and Chair / COO of Advanced Conceptions, a start-up in the fertility space, both in Salt Lake City, Utah. He has 20 years of R&D and leadership experience at BioFire and BioFire Defense (formerly named Idaho Technology), which sold to bioMérieux in 2014. As one of the original Idaho Technology employees, Mr. Nielsen worked in various roles in engineering, management, and business development rising to the position of Vice President of Product Development. He managed a team of more than 70 scientists and engineers who were responsible for developing and launching new medical diagnostic products and supporting the complex regulatory clearance process in the US, EU, and other jurisdictions. Mr. Nielsen holds a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering from Brigham Young University, and a Master of Mechanical Engineering from the University of Utah. We believe that Mr. Nielsen is well qualified to serve as a director due to his extensive finance experience and history with the Company.

Leavitt Partners (designee Rich McKeown); Director – Mr. Rich McKeown, age 74, is the co-founder and former Chairman of the Leavitt Partners Board of Directors. Mr. McKeown is re-joining the IONIQ Board, as the Leavitt Partners’ corporate designee, after previously serving on the ProLung Board from 2014-2017. Leavitt Partners is a health care intelligence business that understands the emerging role of value in health care. In previous roles, Mr. McKeown served as chief of staff for Mike Leavitt at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). At HHS, he directed and coordinated the activities of the largest department in the federal government, serving as the Secretary’s day-to-day manager for a department that employed 67,000 people and had an annual budget in excess of $840 billion. He also led the negotiations between China and the FDA regarding Drug, Device and Food issues which led to landmark agreements in 2008 and paved the way for the placement of US-FDA offices around the world. Mr. McKeown also served as senior counselor and chief of staff to Administrator Mike Leavitt at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Mr. McKeown co-authored with Mike Leavitt the highly-acclaimed book titled Finding Allies, Building Alliances. Prior to his public service in Washington, D.C., Mr. McKeown served as chief of staff to Governor Mike Leavitt and as commissioner of the Utah State Tax Commission. Mr. McKeown currently resides in Salt Lake City, Utah and received his juris doctorate from the University of Utah and bachelor’s degree from Ohio University. We believe that Mr. McKeown is well qualified to serve as a director due to his extensive finance experience and history with the Company.

Leavitt Partners is a health care intelligence business. They help their clients successfully navigate the evolving role of value in health care by informing, advising, and convening industry leaders on value market analytics, alternative payment models, federal strategies, insurance market insights and alliances. Through their family of businesses, they provide investment support, data and analytics, member-based alliances and direct services to clients to support decision-making strategies in the value economy. They understand the emerging role of value in health care and the significance of this development to the future of their clients. Their insights and tools in this vital arena can help their clients make smart decisions, successfully navigating from today’s uncertainty to tomorrow’s prosperity.

15

MANAGEMENT COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

 

Executive Compensation.Compensation

 

Summary Table.The following table provides details with respect to the total compensation of ourthe Company’s named executive officers during the years ended December 31, 20162020, and 2015. Our2019. The Company’s named executive officers are (a) each person who served as ourthe Company’s Chief Executive Officer during 2016,2020, (b) the next two most highly compensated executiveexecuted officers serving as of December 31, 20162020, whose total compensation exceeds $100,000 and (c) any person who could have been included under (b) except for the fact that such persons wereperson was not an executive officer on December 31, 2016.

2020.

 

Summary Compensation Table for Executives

 

Name & Principal Position Year  Salary  Bonus  Stock
Awards
  All Other
Compensation
  Total 
                   
Steven C. Eror,  2016  $290,000  $-  $-  $-  $290,000 
President and Chief Executive Officer  2015   250,000   -   -   -   250,000 
                         
Michael Garff,  2016   144,000   -   -   -   144,000 
Chief Operating Officer  2015   144,000   -   -   -   144,000 

Employment Agreements

Effective August 1, 2013, we entered into an employment agreement contract with Steven C. Eror, our President and Chief Executive Officer, which employment was amended on March 29, 2017, effective August 1, 2016. This agreement, as amended, provides for an annual salary of $290,000. As incentive compensation, the employment agreement provides that Mr. Eror will be granted a stock option with a 10-year term and an exercise price equal to the greater of $1.50 per share, and the fair market value of the Common Stock, which shall vest with respect to a number of shares dependent upon when, or if, FDA approval is obtained for the marketing of the Company’s products:

Name & Principal Position Year  Salary  Bonus  Stock
Awards
  Option
Awards (4)(5)(6)
  All
Other (7)
  Total 
                      
Jared B. Bauer, Chief  2020  $110,000 $-  $-  $79,884  $-  $189,884 
Executive Officer(1,2)  2019  $96,000 $-  $-  $361,129  $-  $457,129 
                             
Michael Garff, Chief  2020  $161,288  $-  $-  $60,590  $-  $186,265 
Operating Officer(3)  2019  $161,288  $-  $-  $24,977  $-  $186,265 

 

1,200,000 shares if FDA approval is obtained on or before January 1, 2018;(1)Mr. Bauer was appointed as our interim Chief Executive Officer in August 2018 and promoted to CEO in October 2019. Mr. Bauer was being compensated under a consulting contract of $8,000 per month, which was increased by the Board to $10,000 per month in June 2020 at which point he became a salaried employee of the Company.
  
900,000(2)Includes the aggregate grant date fair value of options to purchase 33,000 and 127,000 shares if FDA approval is obtained after January 1, 2018of common stock issued to Mr. Bauer during 2020 and on or before July 1, 2018;2019, respectively in accordance with FASB ASC. Options related to Mr. Bauer’s service as CEO during the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 totaled 25,000 and 119,000, respectively. Options related to service as a director during 2020 and 2019 totaled 8,000 for each year.
  
600,000 shares if FDA approval is obtained after July 1, 2018 and on or before January 1, 2019;
 
(3)300,000Includes the aggregate grant date fair value of options to purchase 25,004 and 9,000 shares if FDA approval is obtained after January 1,of common stock issued to Mr. Garff during 2020 and 2019, respectively in accordance with FASB ASC. Options related to Mr. Garff’s service as an employee COO during the year ended December 31, 2020 totaled 17,004. Options related to service as a director during 2020 and on or before January 1, 2020.2019 totaled 8,000 and 9,000 respectively.

 

16

The employment agreement also has customary provisions for other benefits

Employment Agreements and reimbursement of expenses and includes protective provisions in favorIncentive Compensation

None of the Company, such as 24-month non-competition and non-solicitation provisions and invention assignment provisions. The term of the agreement was extended by the amendment until August 1, 2019, and will be automatically extended for successive one-year periods unless eithernamed directors or executive officers are party to any written employment agreements with the agreement objects to such extension by written notice to the other party at least 180 days prior to the expiration of the initial term or any extension term. The agreement may also be terminated for cause. The agreement provides for a severance payment to Mr. Eror upon the termination of his employment as follows (a) an amount equal to one-half of the base salary in effect on the date of the termination of the agreement to be paid in cash over six months, and (b) an amount equal to one-half of the base salary in effect on the date of termination to be paid in shares of Common Stock, at fair market value. The agreement does not include any additional or different provisions addressing change of control events.Company.

 

Effective August 1, 2013, we entered into an employment contract with Michael Garff, our Chief Operating Officer. This contract provides for an annual salary of $144,000 plus incentive compensation of up to 300,000 shares of Common Stock and up to $30,000 in cash upon the receipt of regulatory approval in Europe and the United States. The employment contract also has customary provisions for other benefits and reimbursement of expenses and includes protective provisions in favor of the Company, such as 12-month non-competition and non-solicitation provisions and invention assignment provisions. The term of the agreement is for a period of three years, and the agreement does not include any severance or change of control provisions. This agreement has currently expired.

2016 Equity Awards

 

There were no equity awards granted to eitherany of the named officers during the year ended December 31, 2016. On August 24, 2017, we granted Mr. Eror an award consistent with the terms of his employment agreement, provided that the exercise price of said option was $1.00 per share.

2016 and 2017 Bonus Compensation

No bonuses were paid to the named officers in or with respect to 2015 or 2016. None of the named executive officers participate in a non-equity incentive plan.

Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year End

As of December 31, 2016, there are no outstanding equity awards for either of the named officers.

Equity Incentive Plan

Our board of directors adopted the Incentive Plan in April 2017, and our stockholders approved the Incentive Plan in June 2017. The Incentive Plan authorizes the Board or Compensation Committee to grant incentive stock options, non-incentive stock options, stock bonuses, restricted stock, and performance-based awards. The total number of initial shares of Common Stock that will be authorized for issuance under the Incentive Plan is 4,000,000 shares; provided, however, that the foregoing number of authorized shares will automatically increase on January 1st of each year, for ten consecutive years, commencing on January 1, 2018, by the lesser of (i) 320,000 shares of Common Stock (i.e., 8% of the shares of the shares originally authorized to be issued), and (ii) such number of shares of Common Stock (if any) as the Board may earlier designate in writing. If the automatic increases are not limited by the Board, there will be 7,200,000 shares of Common Stock authorized under the Incentive Plan in January 1, 2027.

Grants under the Incentive Plan may, at the discretion of the Board of Compensation Committee, be awarded to directors, officers and employees and non-employee agents, consultants, advisers and independent contractors of the Company or any parent or subsidiary of the Company. We currently have five non-employee directors, one director that is also an employee and 17 other employees and officers, and an indeterminable number of consultants and advisers who are eligible to receive grants under the Incentive Plan.

Termination/Change of Control Provisions of Employment Agreements

The employment agreements with the named executive officers of the Company do not include any provisions providing for payments upon a change of control. Mr. Eror’s employment agreement provides for a severance payment to Mr. Eror upon the termination of his employment as follows (a) an amount equal to one-half of the base salary in effect on the date of the termination of the agreement to be paid in cash over six months, and (b) an amount equal to one-half of the base salary in effect on the date of termination to be paid in shares of Common Stock, at fair market value. The agreement does not include any additional or different provisions addressing change of control events.2020.

 

Compensation of Non-EmployeeNon-Executive Directors

 

Summary Table.Compensation is determined by our Finance & Compensation Committee in accordance with the Finance & Compensation Committee Charter. Compensation decisions are based upon the Finance & Compensation Committee’s subjective determination of what salaries the Company can afford with its limited resources and what level of equity-based compensation is necessary to attract and retain key personnel. Based upon the subjective knowledge of the industry and other public companies, the Company believes that its salaries currently in place or proposed for its directors are at market for early-stage biotechnology companies; however, the Board has conducted no formal survey or comparison.

Our compensation for “non-executive directors” is designed to be competitive with our peer group of early-stage biotechnology companies, link rewards to business results and Stockholder returns and facilitate increased ownership of our stock. Our executive officers are not paid additional compensation for their services as directors.

The following table sets forth information concerning the annual and long-term compensation awarded to, earned by, or paid to our non-executive directors for all services rendered in all capacities to our company, or any of its subsidiaries, for the year ended December 31, 2016:2020:

Compensation Table for Non-Executive Directors

 

Name & Principal Position 

Fees Earned

or Paid

  

Stock

Awards

  

Option

Awards

  

Other

Compensation

  Total 
Robert W. Raybould, Director $-  $-  $-  $-  $- 
Dennis Tulane, Former Director $-  $-  $-  $-  $- 
Clark Campbell, Former Director $-  $-  $-  $-  $- 
Tim Treu, Former Director $48,0001 $-  $-  $-  $48,000 
Todd Morgan, Director $-  $-  $-  $-  $- 
Richard McKeown, Former Director $-  $-  $-  $-  $- 
Jeffrey S. O’Driscoll, Former Director $113,0002 $-  $-  $-  $113,000 
John C. Ruckdeschel, Director $-  $-  $-  $-  $- 
J. Scott Nixon, Director $-  $-  $-  $-  $- 
Name & Principal Position 

Fees Earned

or Paid

  Stock Awards  Option Awards  Other  Total 
David Nielsen (1) $-  $-  $19,251  $-  $19,251 
Don Patterson (2) $-  $-  $24,065  $-  $24,065 
Jim Hogan (3) $-  $-  $24,065  $-  $24,065 
Rich McKeown (4) $-  $-  $19,251  $-  $19,251 

 

 (1)Effective April 30, 2015, Mr. Treu entered into a consulting agreementRepresents the aggregate grant date fair value of options to purchase 8,000 shares of common stock issued in accordance with the Company to provide marketing services on behalf of the Company, including serving as the Chief Marketing and Sales Officer of the Company. Pursuant to this consulting agreement, Mr. Treu earned $112,000 during the period from April 30, 2015 through December 31, 2016.
FASB ASC Standards.
 (2)Effective March 9, 2015, Dr. O’Driscoll entered into a consulting agreementRepresents the aggregate grant date fair value of options to purchase 10,000 shares of common stock issued in accordance with FASB ASC Standards.
(3)Represents the Companyaggregate grant date fair value of options to provide medical advisory services on behalfpurchase 10,000 shares of common stock issued in accordance with FASB ASC Standards.
(4)Represents the Company, including serving as the Chief Medical Officeraggregate grant date fair value of the Company. Pursuantoptions to this consulting agreement, Dr. O’Driscoll earned $113,000 during the period from March 9, 2015 through December 31, 2016. Effective May 9, 2017, Dr. O’Driscoll resigned as a director.purchase 8,000 shares of common stock issued in accordance with FASB ASC Standards.

 

Director Compensation Arrangements

 

No fixed compensation program appliedFor the year ended December 31, 2020, each member of the Board has options to purchase shares of Common Stock for services on the Board. Additionally, members of the Board that serve as Chairman of the Board or Chairman of various committees are awarded additional options. Options are awarded quarterly to the directorsBoard with no vesting period. In the event of early termination of services, a pro rata portion of the Company during 2016 (as any previously approved program was suspended). Beginning with respectoptions are required to be returned to the quarter ending September 30, 2017,Company, unless such forfeiture is waived by the Board of Directors has adoptedat its discretion. Under the following compensation program for directors:

Cash Compensation. The cash compensation structure forprinciples approved by the Board, isyearly cash and shares of Common Stock are awarded to directors as follows:

 

 1.Each director (including executives serving as directors): $48,000 per year,The Chairman of the Board, Chairman of the Audit Committee and Chairman of the Finance & Compensation Committee receives an award of 2,500 options for each quarter of service.
   
 2.ChairmanAll remaining Board members receive an award of the Board: an additional $25,000 per year,
Chairman2,000 options for each quarter of the Audit Committee: an additional $25,000 per year
Chairman of Nominating Committee, Compensation Committee or Science Committee: an additional $12,000 per year.service.

 

All amounts are paid quarterlyCompensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

During 2020, no member of the Finance & Compensation Committee: (1) was an officer or employee of ours or any of our subsidiaries; (2) was formerly an officer of ours or any of our subsidiaries; or (3) had any relationship requiring disclosure in arrearsthis Proxy Statement pursuant to SEC rules.

In addition, no executive officer served: (1) as a member of the Finance & Compensation committee (or other board committee performing equivalent functions or, in the absence of any such committee, the entire board) of another entity, one of whose executive officers served on the Finance & Compensation Committee; (2) as a prorated basis.director of another entity, one of whose executive officers served on the Finance & Compensation Committee; or (3) as a member of the Compensation Committee (or other board committee performing equivalent functions or, in the absence of any such committee, the entire board) of another entity, one of whose executive officers served on the Board.

17

 

Equity Compensation. The annual stock option policy, which is subject to suspension or modification at any time by the Compensation Committee or the Board of Directors, anticipates annual grants by the Compensation Committee of the follow number of options to purchase common stock:

Each director: 20,000 options per year,
Chairman of the Board: an additional 40,000 options per year,
Chairman of the Audit Committee: an additional 20,000 options per year,
Chairman of Nominating Committee, Compensation Committee or Science Committee: an additional 10,000 options per year.

Options will have an exercise price equal to or above the fair market value of the common stock on the date of grant and a 10-year term.

CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS ANDTRANSACTIONS WITH RELATED TRANSACTIONSPERSONS

 

Except as described below, none of the following parties has, since January 1, 2016, had any material interest, direct or indirect, in any transaction with us or in any presently proposed transaction that has or will materially affect us, other than as noted in this section:

Any of our directors or officers,
Any person proposed as a nominee for election as a director,
Any person who beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, shares carrying more than 5% of the voting rights attached to our outstanding shares of Common Stock,
Any of our promoters, and

Any relative or spouse of any of the foregoing persons who has the same house as such person.

Certain Relationships and Related Transactions

Since January 1, 2016,In 2020, there has not been, nor is there currently proposed, any transaction or series of similar transactions to which we were or are a party in which the amount involved exceeds the lesser of (1) $120,000 and (2) one percent of the average of our total assets at year-end for the last two completed fiscal years, in which any director, executive officer or beneficial holder of more than 5% of any class of our voting securities or members of such person’s immediate family had or will have a direct or indirect material interest, other than the compensation transactions described under “Management Compensation”“Compensation Discussion and Analysis” and the transactions described below.

 

Consulting Agreements – MembersReview and Approval of Related Person Transactions

It is the Company’s policy that all employees and directors, as well as their family members, must avoid any activity that is or has the appearance of conflicting with the Company’s business interest. This policy is included in our Code of Conduct. Each director and executive officer is instructed to always inform the Chairman and Corporate Secretary when confronted with any situation that may be perceived as a conflict of interest. In addition, at least annually, each director and executive officer completes a detailed questionnaire specifying any business relationship that may give rise to a conflict of interest. The Board of Directors reviews all relevant information, including the amount of all business transactions involving the Company and the entity with which the director is associated, and makes recommendations, as appropriate, to the Board.

 

DuringAs required under SEC rules, related party transactions that are determined to be directly or indirectly material to a related person where the amount involved exceeds $120,000 are required to be disclosed. We are not aware of any related party transactions since the beginning of fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, we entered into consulting agreements with two of the directors then serving on2020. In addition, the Board Dr. Jeffrey S. O’Driscollof Directors reviews and Tim Treu. Underapproves or ratifies any related person transaction that is required to be disclosed. In the agreements, Dr. O’Driscoll agreed to provide medical advisory servicescourse of its review and Mr. Treu agreed to provide marketing services. The consulting agreements may be terminated by eitherapproval or ratification of a disclosable related person transaction, the Company or by the consultant at any time and for any reason. During the year ended December 31, 2016, Mr. Treu’s agreement was terminated after he was paid $48,000 and Mr. O’Driscoll was paid $113,000 under his consulting agreement, for a total of $161,000 for the year ended December 31, 2016.Committee considers:

 

Effective February 1, 2017, we entered into a consulting agreement with Dr. Robin Smith, who is one of our directors. Under the agreement, Dr. Smith has agreed to provide advisory services related to our clinical assets, capital markets, public company related issues and other matters as agreed to by the parties. The agreement has a term of nine months, and Dr. Smith is to receive compensation of $120,000, a grant of 30,000 shares of common stock and an option to purchase 70,000 shares of common stock.

the nature of the related person’s interest in the transaction;
the material terms of the transaction, including, without limitation, the amount and type of transaction;
the importance of the transaction to the related person;
the importance of the transaction to the Company;
whether the transaction would impair the judgment of a director or executive officer to act in the best interest of the Company; and
any other matters the Board of Directors deems appropriate.

 

Related-Party Note Payable

During the year ended December 31, 2016, we issued notes to Todd Morgan, our ChairmanAny member of the Board of Directors who is a related person with respect to a transaction under review may not participate in the deliberations or vote for $210,000. Also duringapproval or ratification of the year ended December 31, 2016, $105,000transaction; provided, however, that such director may be counted in determining the presence of those notes were paid back along with interest and feesa quorum at a meeting of $3,089. During 2017, the remaining $105,000 of principal was repaid along with interest and fees of $5,000. $55,000 of this principal and related interest was settled in common stock and $50,000 was settled in cash.committee that considers the transaction.

 

18

On December 18, 2015, we entered into a Patent Assignment Agreement for the acquisition of certain patent application rights. Prior to the execution of the Patent Assignment Agreement, Robert W. Raybould, a member of our Board, advanced $50,000 on our behalf to the seller under the Patent Assignment Agreement. The terms of the advance were not initially established such as the interest rate, the security, or the conversion terms. Later in December 2015, we repaid $25,000 of the advance and the remaining $25,000 was repaid in January 2016. There was no interest paid on the advance during the period that the advance was outstanding.

SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS

 

The following table lists, as of September 1, 2017,December 31, 2020, the number of shares of our Common Stock of our Company that are beneficially owned by (i) each person or entity known to ourthe Company to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of the outstanding Common Stock; (ii) each named executive officer and director of ourthe Company; and (iii) all officers and directors as a group. Information relating to beneficial ownership of Common Stock by our principal stockholdersStockholders and management is based upon information furnished by each person using beneficial ownership concepts under the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission.SEC. Under these rules, a person is deemed to be a beneficial owner of a security if that person has or shares voting power, which includes the power to vote or direct the voting of the security, or investment power, which includes the power to vote or direct the voting of the security. The person is also deemed to be a beneficial owner of any security of which that person has a right to acquire beneficial ownership within 60 days. Under the Securities and Exchange CommissionSEC rules, more than one person may be deemed to be a beneficial owner of the same securities, and a person may be deemed to be a beneficial owner of securities as to which he or she may not have any pecuniary beneficial interest. Except as noted below, each person has sole voting and investment power.

 

The percentages below are calculated based on 30,892,5124,094,916 shares of our Common Stock issued and outstanding as of August 31, 2017.4/30/2021. Unless otherwise indicated, the address of each person listed is care of ProLung,c/o IONIQ Sciences, Inc., 757 East South Temple,350 W. 800 N., Suite 150,214, Salt Lake City, Utah 84102.

84103.

 

Name of Officer or Director Title of Class Amount and Nature of Beneficial Ownership(1) (2)    Percent of Class 
Steven C. Eror, President and Chief Executive Officer and Director Common  1,469,006(3)  4.8%
Michael Garff, Chief Operating Officer Common  475,000   1.5%
Robert W. Raybould, Director Common  1,775,515(4)  5.8%
Todd Morgan, Director Common  1,422,500(5)  4.6%
Robin L. Smith MD, Director Common  127,500(6)  * 
John C. Ruckdeschel, Director Common  97,500(7)  * 
J. Scott Nixon, Director Common  30,000(8)  * 
All Officers and Directors as a Group (nine persons) Common  5,389,021(9)  17.6%

Name of Officer or Director Title of
Class
 Amount and Nature of Beneficial Ownership(1)(2)  Percent of
Class
 
Jared Bauer, Chief Executive Officer and Director Common  197,000(3)  4.6%
Michael Garff, Chief Operating Officer and Director Common  118,876(4)  2.9%
Don Patterson, Director Common  187,594(5)  4.4%
Jim Hogan, Director Common  20,000(6)  * 
David Nielsen, Director Common  16,000(7)  * 
Rich McKeown, Director Common  14,000(8)  * 
All Directors and Officers as a group (six persons) Common  614,046   11.9%
>5% Stockholders:          
Eric Sokol Common  378,082(9)  9.1%
ProLung China, Ning Zhou Common  278,053   6.8%

 

*Represents less than 1% of the outstanding shares.

*Less than 1%

 

(1)The number of shares included on this table includes those shares owned by the beneficial owner’s spouse, andan entity or trust controlled by the beneficial owner, or owned by another person in the owner’s household.
(2)Beneficial Ownership for each officer or director is calculated as if that all convertible debt, options, warrants or other rights to acquire Common Stock exercisable within 60 days held by that officer or director have been exercised (but that no other person has been exercised any such rights).
(3)Includes 25,000 shares of Common Stock subject to options, warrants or other rights to acquire Common Stock that are exercisable as of, or within 60 days of, the date of this table. Does not include an option to purchase up to 1,200,000 shares of Common Stock upon the occurrence of certain events outside of his control.
(4)Includes 27,500197,000 shares of Common Stock subject to options, warrants or other rights to acquire Common Stock that are exercisable as of, or within 60 days of, the date of this table.
(5)(4)Includes 55,00059,501 shares of Common Stock subject to options, warrants or other rights to acquire Common Stock that are exercisable as of, or within 60 days of, the date of this table.
(5)Includes 152,669 shares of Common Stock subject to convertible debt, options, warrants or other rights to acquire Common Stock that are exercisable as of, or within 60 days of, the date of this table.
(6)Includes 97,50020,000 shares of Common Stock subject to options, warrants or other rights to acquire Common Stock that are exercisable as of, or within 60 days of, the date of this table.
(7)Includes 27,50016,000 shares of Common Stock subject to options, warrants or other rights to acquire Common Stock that are exercisable as of, or within 60 days of, the date of this table.
(8)Includes 30,00014,000 shares of Common Stock subject to options, warrants or other rights to acquire Common Stock that are exercisable as of, or within 60 days of, the date of this table.
(9)Includes 262,50049,893 shares of Common Stock subject to convertible debt, options, warrants or other rights to acquire Common Stock that are exercisable as of, or within 60 days of, the date of this table.

 

17

Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

 

Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires the Company’sour executive officers and directors and persons who own more than 10% of the Company’s Common Stock to file reports concerning their ownership of Common Stock with the SEC, disclosing the amount and to furnishnature of their beneficial ownership in Common Stock, as well as changes in that ownership. To our knowledge, based solely on its review of such Section 16(a) reports and written representations that the Company with copies of such reports. Based on the Company’s review of reports filed by the officers, directors and 10% holders during 2016,has received, the Company believes that the numberall reporting obligations of late reports, the number of transactions that were not reported on a timely basis,our officers, directors and known failures to file a required Form for each such person are as follows:

Name and Title of Section 16 Filer Number of Late Reports  Number of Transactions That Were Not Reported on a Timely Basis 
Steven C. Eror Director and President and CEO  1   1 
         
Michael Garff, Chief Operating Officer  1   1 
         
Robert W. Raybould, Director  1   1 
         
Todd Morgan, Director  1   1 
         
Richard McKeown, Former Director        
         
Jeffrey S. O’Driscoll, Former Director  1   1 
         
John C. Ruckdeschel, Director  1   1 
         
J. Scott Nixon, Director  1   1 

A Form 5 has not been filed by or on behalf of any officer, director or persons who own moregreater than 10% of the Company’s Common Stock for fiscal year 2016. We are unaware of anyone that was required to file a Form 5.Stockholders under Section 16(a) were satisfied during 2020.

 

1819

 

PROPOSAL 2

RATIFICATIONPOLICY ON PRE-APPROVAL OF APPOINTMENTRETENTION OF

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

Background

The Audit Committee has recommended2020 audit and approved the appointment of MaloneBailey, LLP (“MaloneBailey”) as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm (independent auditors) to examine the consolidated financial statements of the Company for the year ending December 31, 2017. The Company is seeking stockholder ratification of such action.

It is expected that representatives of MaloneBailey will not attend the Meeting or be available to make a statement if they desire to do so or respond to appropriate questions.

Fees Paid to Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

The following table summarizes the fees of MaloneBailey, our independent auditors, billed to us for each of the last two fiscal years for audit services and billed to us in each of the last two years for other services.

  2016  2015 
Audit Fees $40,000  $40,000 
Audit-Related Fees  -   - 
Tax Fees  -   - 
All Other Fees  -   - 
Total $40,000  $40,000 

Audit Fees. Audit Fees consist of amounts billed for professional services rendered for the audit of our annual consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Forms 10-K, reviews of our interim consolidated financial statements included in our Quarterly Reports on Forms 10-Q and related matters.

Audit-Related Fees. Audit-Related Fees consist of fees billed for professional services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of our consolidated financial statements but are not reported under “Audit Fees.”

Tax Fees.Tax Fees consist of fees billed for professional services for tax compliance activities, including the preparation of federal and state tax returns and related compliance matters.

All Other Fees.All other fees consist of aggregate fees billed for products and services provided by the independent auditor, other than those disclosed above.

Our Board has determined that all non-audit services provided by MaloneBaileySadler Gibb were compatiblepre-approved by the Audit Committee. The non-audit services which were approved by the Audit Committee were also reviewed to ensure compatibility with maintaining thatthe accounting firm’s audit independence.

 

The Audit Committee has establishedin place pre-approval policies and procedures requiring thatrelated to the provision of audit and non-audit services. Under these procedures, the Audit Committee approve in advance any engagementpre-approves both the type of services to be provided by Sadler Gibb and the estimated fees related to these services. During the approval process, the Audit Committee considers the impact of the independent auditors to render audit or non-audit services. As a result, all engagements during 2016types of services and 2015the related fees on the independence of the independent auditorsaccounting firm. The services and fees must be deemed compatible with the maintenance of the accounting firm’s independence, including compliance with SEC rules and regulations.

Throughout the year, the Audit Committee reviews any revisions to renderthe estimates of audit and non-audit fees initially approved.

During 2020, no fees for services outside the audit, review or non-audit servicesattestation that exceeded the waiver provisions of 17 CFR 210.2-01(o)(7)(i)(c) were approved by the Audit Committee.

 

The Board recommends that stockholders
voteFOR the ratification of appointment of
MaloneBailey, LLP as the Company’s Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
(Independent Auditors) for the year ending December 31, 2017.

OTHER MATTERS

Participants in the Company’s Solicitation

Under applicable SEC regulations, each of the Company’s directors and certain executive officers and other employees of the Company are deemed to be “participants” in this proxy solicitation. Please refer to the sections entitled “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners” and “Certain Information Regarding Participants in this Proxy Solicitation” in Annex A for information about our directors and certain of our executive officers who may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation. Except as described in this Proxy Statement, there are no agreements or understandings between the Company and any such participants relating to employment with the Company or any future transactions.

Other than the persons described above, no general class of employee of the Company will be employed to solicit Stockholders. However, in the course of their regular duties, employees may be asked to perform clerical or ministerial tasks in furtherance of this solicitation.

Except as set forth above, neither the Company nor any person acting on its behalf has employed, retained or agreed to compensate any person to make solicitations or recommendations to Stockholders of the Company concerning the proxy solicitation.

Cost of Solicitation

The Company will bear the expenses of calling and holding the Annual Meeting and the solicitation of proxies on behalf of our Board with respect to the Annual Meeting. These costs will include, among other items, the expense of preparing, assembling, printing and mailing the proxy materials to Stockholders of record and beneficial owners, and reimbursements paid to brokerage firms, banks and other nominees for their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses for forwarding proxy materials to Stockholders and obtaining voting instructions from beneficial owners. In addition to soliciting proxies by mail, directors, officers and employees may solicit proxies on behalf of the Board without additional compensation, personally or by telephone. We may also solicit proxies by email from Stockholders who are our employees or who previously requested to receive proxy materials electronically.

Forward-Looking Statements

This Proxy Statement contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. These forward-looking statements are predictions and generally can be identified by use of statements that include phrases such as “plan,” “expect,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “project,” “estimate,” “guidance,” “possible,” “continue” and other similar terms and phrases, including references to assumptions and forecasts of future results. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to differ materially from those anticipated at the time the forward-looking statements are made. These risks include, but are not limited to, those described in “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, for the year ended December 31, 2020 and subsequent filings with the SEC. These factors should be considered carefully and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. No assurance can be given that the future results covered by the forward-looking statements will be achieved. Except as required by applicable law, all information contained herein is as of the date of this Proxy Statement and the Company does not intend to update this information.

 

1920

 

OTHER MATTERS

 

Stockholder Proposals for the 20182020 Annual Meeting of ProLung Stockholders

 

If any stockholder intendsPursuant to present a proposalRule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act, in order to be considered for inclusionincluded in the Company’s proxy material in connection withmaterials for the Company’s 2018 Annual Meeting2020 annual meeting of Stockholders, thea Stockholder proposal must be received in proper form (per SEC Regulation 14A, Rule 14a-8—Stockholder Proposals) and receivedwriting by the PresidentCompany by April 9, 2021 and Chief Executive Officerotherwise comply with all requirements of the Company on orSEC for Stockholder proposals. The Company’s address is 350 W. 800 N., Suite 214, Salt Lake City, Utah 84103.

In addition, our Bylaws provide that any Stockholders who desires to bring a proposal before the earlier to occur of the mailing of the proxy statement for the 2018an annual meeting, and May 25, 2018 (as such date may be updated by a disclosure in the Form 10-Q the Company).

Nominations ofor to nominate persons for election as directors, must give timely written notice of the proposal to the Company’s Secretary. To be timely, the notice must be received at the principal executive office of the Company must be made consistent withnot later than the provisionsclose of business on the 90th day (April 9, 2021), nor earlier than the close of business on the 120th day (March 9, 2021) in advance of the Company’s Bylaws, including the requirement that the shareholder must provide timely noticeanniversary of the nomination in proper written form to the Secretary of the Company.

Pursuant to rules adopted by the SEC, if a stockholder intends to propose any matter for a vote at2020 Annual Meeting (assuming the annual meeting is held within 30 days of the stockholders to be held in 2018, but fails to notify the Company of such intention prior to the earlier to occuranniversary of the mailing2020 Annual Meeting). If the current year’s meeting is called for a date that is not within 30 days of the proxy statement foranniversary of the 2018previous year’s annual meeting, and August 8, 2018 (as such date maynotice must be updated by a disclosure inreceived not later than seven calendar days following the Form 10-Q the Company), then a proxy solicited by the Board may be votedday on such matter in the discretionwhich public announcement of the proxy holder, without discussiondate of the matterannual meeting is first made. The notice must describe the Stockholder proposal in the proxy statement soliciting such proxyreasonable detail and without such matter appearing as a separate item on the proxy card.provide certain other information required by our Bylaws.

 

Delivery of Documents to Stockholders Sharing an Address

 

In instances in which multiple holders of the Common Stock share a common address and are the beneficial owners, but not the record holders, of those shares of Common Stock, the holders’ banks, brokers or other nominees may only deliver one copy of this Proxy Statement and the Company’s 20162020 Annual Report to Stockholders, unless the applicable bank, broker or nominee has received contrary instructions from one or more of the stockholders.Stockholders. The Company will deliver promptly, upon written request, a separate copy of this Proxy Statement and the Company’s 20162020 Annual Report to Stockholders to any stockholderStockholder at a shared address to which a single copy of the documents was delivered. A stockholderStockholder who wishes to receive a separate copy of this Proxy Statement and the Company’s 20162020 Annual Report to Stockholders should submit a request in writing to Steven C. Eror, President andJared Bauer, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, 757 East South Temple,350 W. 800 N., Suite 150,214, Salt Lake City, Utah 84012.84103 or calling 877-777-2857. Beneficial owners sharing an address who are receiving multiple copies of proxy materials and annual reports and who wish to receive a single copy of such materials in the future will need to contact their broker, bank or other nominee to request that only a single copy of each document be mailed to all stockholdersStockholders at the shared address in the future.

 

Additional Matters Presented at 2017the Annual Meeting

 

The Company’s management does not know of any other matter to be presented for action at the Annual Meeting. However, if any other matters should be properly presented at the Annual Meeting, it is the intention of the persons named in the accompanying proxy to vote said proxy in accordance with their best judgment.

 

Notice of Approval by Majority Written ConsentAppraisal Rights

 

As of July 14, 2017, the Company accepted the majority written consent of stockholders (the “Consent”) solicited pursuant to a consent solicitation statement on Form 14A filedStockholders do not have appraisal rights under Delaware law in connection with the Securities and Exchange Commissionmatters to be voted on June 6, 2017. Pursuant toat the Consent, the following were approved:Annual Meeting.

 

Stockholders approved the ProLung Inc. Stock Incentive Plan;
Stockholdersgranted our Board of Directors the discretionary authority to amend our Certificate of Incorporation at any time on or before March 31, 2018 to affect a reverse stock split of no fewer than two nor more than 20 shares outstanding shares of Common Stock into one share of post-split Common Stock;
Stockholdersapproved approve an amendment to our Certificate of Incorporation to increase the authorized number of shares of Common Stock from 40,000,000 shares to 120,000,000 shares; and
Stockholders approvedamendments to our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws to allow for the classification of the Board, also known as a “staggered board”.

Additional InformationIMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE INTERNET AVAILABILITY OF
PROXY SOLICITATION MATERIALS

 

A copyThe proxy solicitation materials for the Company’s solicitation of proxies, including this Proxy Statement, has been filedare available over the Internet on our website www.viewproxy.com/IONIQ/2020. Information on our website does not constitute part of the Company’s proxy solicitation materials.

21

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We are required to file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy this Proxy Statementany document we file at the SEC’s Public Reference Roompublic reference room located at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the public reference room. Our SEC filings are also available to the public at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. You also may also obtain free copies of the documents we file with the SEC by going to our website, the address of which is www.viewproxy.com/IONIQ/2020. The information provided on our website is not part of this Proxy Statement, and therefore is not incorporated by mail from the Public Reference Section of the SEC at prescribed rates. To obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room, you can call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC also maintains an Internet website that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers, including ProLung, Inc., that file electronically with the SEC. The address of the SEC’s Internet website is http://www.sec.gov.reference.

 

Upon written or oral request,Stockholders are entitled to express their views regarding the Company will provide, without charge, to each person to whom a copy oftopics raised in this Proxy Statement has been delivered a copyor other matters directly to the Company through written communications sent directly to the attention of the Board, any individual director or the “non-employee directors” as a group, by written communications addressed in care of IONIQ Sciences, 350 W. 800 N., Suite 214, Salt Lake City, Utah 84103.

For Registered Holders to vote: www.FCRVote.com/IONQ

For Registered Holders to vote via Phone, please call: 1-866-402-3905

The Company’s Proxy Statement and Annual Report on 10-Kto Stockholders for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 (other than certain exhibits to such documents not specifically incorporated by reference). Requests for such copies should be directed to:2020 are available on the Internet at www.viewproxy.com/IONIQ/2020 or call IONIQ Sciences at 801-736-0729.

 

ProLung, Inc.

Attn: Steven C. Eror, President and Chief Executive Officer

757 East South Temple, Suite 150

Salt Lake City, Utah 84012.

(801) 736-0729If you have any questions or require any assistance with voting, please contact IONIQ Sciences at 801-736-0729.

 

* * * * * * * * *

22

 

The contents and sending of this Proxy Statement have been approved by the directors of the Company.

 

Dated as of the 21st25th day of September, 2017.

May, 2021.

 

 PROLUNG, inc.
  
 /s/ Steven C. ErorJared Bauer
 Steven C. Eror, President andJared Bauer, Chief Executive Officer

23

ANNEX A

CERTAIN INFORMATION REGARDING PARTICIPANTS

IN THIS PROXY SOLICITATION

 

Beneficial Ownership of the Common Stock by Associates of Participants

To the best of the Company’s knowledge, none of the participants in the Company’s solicitation of proxies has any “associates” (as defined in Rule 14a-1 under the Exchange Act) who beneficially own any shares of the Common Stock.

Beneficial Ownership of Securities of the Company’s Subsidiaries

To the best of the Company’s knowledge, none of the participants in the Company’s solicitation of proxies beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, any securities of any parent or subsidiary of the Company.

Other Proceedings

On April 23, 2019, the Utah Division of Securities (the “Division”) filed a Notice of Agency Action and an Order to Show Cause before the Division of Securities of the Department of Commerce of the State of Utah against the Company, Jared Bauer (Bauer) and former Board Members (Clark Campbell, Tim Treu, Todd Morgan and Robert Raybould).

In January 2020, the Division issued a Stipulation and Consent Order which set forth the following: 1) the Company agrees to settle the matter with the Division by way of the Stipulation and Consent Order; 2) the Stipulation and Consent Order fully resolves all claims the Division has against the Company pertaining to the Order to Show Cause; 3) the Division, the Company and Bauer, agree to promptly file a stipulation and joint motion to dismiss the Company and Bauer from this administrative action, with respect to Count 1 against the Company and Bauer (the only claim brought against Bauer); 4) In or about April 2014, the Company Board of Directors circulated a consent agreement regarding the issuance of 72,763 Company stock certificates to select members of the Company Board of Directors in connection with “financing services provided” by those members; 5) In or about April 2014, the Company issued stock grants of 27,000 shares to Robert W. Raybould, 2,044 shares to Steve Eror, 7,969 shares to Tim Treu; 24,188 shares to Clark Campbell; and 12,188 shares to Todd Morgan; 6) Subsequent to issuance of those shares, ProLung was informed by counsel of potential consequences for Pro Lung employing unlicensed agents and individuals receiving the shares as compensation directly for sale of securities without a securities license, as opposed to receiving shares as compensation for generalized board service. Subsequently, no further shares were issued as compensation for fundraising. Mr. Eror returned his shares to the Company. However, Raybould, Treu, Campbell and Morgan did not return their shares to the Company. The Company did not disclose the potential licensing violation until on or about December 3, 2018, in its Note Purchase Agreements.

As set forth by the Company in its Form 8-K dated November 27, 2019, Campbell, Treu, Morgan, and Raybould entered into Stipulation and Consent Orders wherein they returned shares of stock to the Company’s treasury and paid fines to the Division of Securities.

On January 9, 2020, the Division entered an order as follows: 1) entering certain Findings and Conclusions by the Division, which ProLung admitted via a Stipulation and Consent Order; 2) ordering ProLung to cease and desist from violating Utah Uniform Securities Act (the “Act”) and to comply with the requirements of the Act in all future business in the state of Utah; 3) ordering ProLung to disclose the contents of the order to investors and prospective investors in all future capital raising efforts and disclosure documents of ProLung; and 4) Ordering ProLung to pay a fine of $55,000 to the Division. Through September 30, 2020, the Company had paid $33,125 toward the fine leaving $21,875 still owed at September 30, 2020.

24

Miscellaneous Information Concerning Participants

Except as described in this Proxy Statement, none of the participants (i) beneficially owns (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, any shares or other securities of the Company or any of the Company’s subsidiaries, (ii) owns any securities of the Company of record not beneficially, (iii) has purchased or sold any of such securities within the past two years or (iv) is, or within the past year was, a party to any contract, arrangement or understanding with any person with respect to any such securities. No part of the purchase price or market value of any of the Company’s securities owned by any participant is represented by funds borrowed or otherwise obtained for the purpose of acquiring or holding such securities. Except as disclosed in this Proxy Statement, none of the participants’ associates beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, any of the Company’s securities. Other than as disclosed in this Proxy Statement, neither the Company nor any of the participants has any substantial interests, direct or indirect, by security holding or otherwise, in any matter to be acted upon pursuant to this Proxy Statement or is or has been within the past year a party to any contract, arrangement or understanding with any person with respect to any of the Company’s securities, including, but not limited to, joint ventures, loan or option agreements, puts or calls, guarantees against loss or guarantees of profit, division of losses or profits or the giving or withholding of proxies. Other than as set forth in this the Proxy Statement, none of the Company, the participants or any of their affiliates has had or will have a direct or indirect material interest in any transaction or series of similar transactions since the beginning of the Company’s last fiscal year or any currently proposed transactions, or series of similar transactions, to which the Company or any of the Company’s subsidiaries was or is to be a party in which the amount involved exceeds $120,000.

Other than as set forth in this Proxy Statement, none of the Company, any of the participants or any of their affiliates has any arrangements or understandings with any person with respect to any future employment by the Company or the Company’s affiliates or with respect to any future transactions to which the Company or any of its affiliates will or may be a party.

Other than as set forth in this Proxy Statement, there are no material legal proceedings in which any of the directors or executive officers of the Company is a party adverse to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or proceedings in which such directors or executive officers have a material interest adverse to the Company or any of its subsidiaries. Other than as set forth in this Proxy Statement, none of the Company or any of the other participants has been convicted in a criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations or similar misdemeanors).

Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that no officer or director shall be personally liable to this corporation or our Stockholders for monetary damages except as provided pursuant to Delaware law. Our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws also provide that we shall indemnify and hold harmless each person who serves at any time as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company from and against any and all claims, judgments and liabilities to which such person shall become subject by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company and shall reimburse such person for all legal and other expenses reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with any such claim or liability. We also have the power to defend such person from all suits or claims in accord with the Delaware law. The rights accruing to any person under our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws do not exclude any other right to which any such person may lawfully be entitled, and we may indemnify or reimburse such person in any proper case, even though not specifically provided for by our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws.

25

FORM OF WHITE PROXY CARD

ProLung, Inc. dba IONIQ Sciences

Annual Meeting of Stockholders

on November 3, 2017July 9, 2021

 

The undersigned stockholderStockholders of ProLung, Inc. (the “Company”) hereby nominates, constitutes and appoints Steven C. Eror, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Mark V. Anderson, Chief Financial Officer, or instead of either of them, ___________________________,Don A. Patterson, Director, as nominee of the undersigned to attend and vote for and on behalf of the undersigned at the Annual meetingMeeting of stockholdersStockholders of the Company (the “Meeting”“Annual Meeting”) to be held on the 39rdth day of November, 2017July, 2021 and at any adjournment or adjournments thereof, to the same extent and with the same power as if the undersigned were personally present at the said Annual Meeting or such adjournment or adjournments thereof, and without limiting the generality of the power hereby conferred, the nominees arenominee is specifically directed to vote the shares represented by this proxy as indicated below.This Proxy is solicited by the Board.

 

This proxy also confers discretionary authority to vote in respect of any amendments or variations to the matters identified in the Notice of Annual Meeting, matters incident to the conduct of the Annual Meeting and any other matter which may properly come before the Annual Meeting about which the Company did not have notice as of the date 45 days before the date on which the Company first mailed proxy material to stockholdersStockholders and in such manner as such nominee in his or her judgment may determine.

 

A stockholderStockholder has the right to appoint a person to attend and act for him or her and on his or her behalf at the Annual Meeting other than the persons designated in this form of proxy. Such right may be exercised by filling the name of such person in the blank space provided or by completing another proper form of proxy and, in either case, depositing the proxy as instructed below.

 

To be valid, this proxy must be received not later than 24 hours (excluding Saturdays and holidays) before the time of holding the Annual Meeting or adjournment thereof or delivered to the ChairmanVice Chair of the Board on the day of the Annual Meeting or adjournment thereof.

 

The nominees arenominee is directed to vote the shares represented by this proxy as follows:

 

(1) ELECTION OF DIRECTORS, eachDIRECTOR, to serve until the 20202023 annual meeting of stockholdersStockholders of the Company or until their respectivehis or her successor shall have been duly elected, unless earlier terminated in accordance with the bylaws of the Company (Proposal 1 in the Notice of Annual Meeting):

 

 [  ]FOR all nomineesthe nominee listed below (except as marked to the contrary).below.
   
 [  ]WITHHOLD AUTHORITY to vote for all nomineesthe nominee listed below.

 

(INSTRUCTION: To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee vote FOR all nominees but strike a line through the nominee’s name in the list below.)Mr. Jim Hogan

 

Robert W. RaybouldTodd Morgan

[Please complete the Proxy on the back]

 

 

(2) PROPOSAL TO RATIFY THE APPOINTMENT OF MALONEBAILEY, LLPSadler Gibb, LLC to serve as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm (independent auditors) for the year ending December 31, 20172020 (Proposal 2 in the Notice of Annual Meeting):

 

FORAGAINSTABSTAIN
[  ][  ][  ]

 

(3) At the nominee’s discretion upon any amendments or variations to matters specified in the noticeNotice of theAnnual Meeting, matters incident to the conduct of the Annual Meeting, and upon any other matters as may properly come before the Annual Meeting or any adjournments thereof about which the Company did not have notice as of the date 45 days before the date on which the Company first mailed proxy materials to stockholders.Stockholders.

 

THE SHARES REPRESENTED BY THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED OR WITHHELD FROM VOTING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN ON ANY VOTE OR BALLOT CALLED FOR AT THE ANNUAL MEETING AND, WHERE A STOCKHOLDER HAS SPECIFIED A CHOICE, WILL BE VOTED OR WITHHELD FROM VOTING ACCORDINGLY. UNLESS A SPECIFIC INSTRUCTION IS INDICATED, SAID SHARES WILL BE VOTED IN FAVOR OF ALL OF THE NOMINEES OF THE BOARD FOR DIRECTOR AND IN FAVOR OF THE RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF THE AUDITORS, AND TO APPROVE THE COMPENSATION OF THE NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS, ALLBOTH OF WHICH ARE SET FORTH IN THE PROXY STATEMENT ACCOMPANYING THIS PROXY, WHICH IS INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE AND RECEIPT OF WHICH IS HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGED.

 

This proxy revokes and supersedes all proxies of earlier date.

 

DATED this ____ day of ________________, 2017.2021.

 

PRINT NAME: _______________________________

 

SIGNATURE: ________________________________

 

NOTES:

 

1)This proxy must be signed by the stockholderStockholder or the stockholder’sStockholder’s attorney duly authorized in writing, or, if the stockholderStockholder is a corporation, by the proper officers or directors under its corporate seal, or by an officer or attorney thereof duly authorized.
  
2)A person appointed as nominee to represent a stockholderStockholder need not be a stockholderStockholder of the Company.
  
3)If not dated, this proxy is deemed to bear the date on which it was mailed on behalf of the management of the Company.
  
4)Each stockholderStockholder who is unable to attend the Annual Meeting is respectfully requested to mark, date and sign this proxy card and return it in the postage-paid envelope we have provided or return it to: Steven C. Eror, 757 East South Temple,Jared Bauer, CEO, 350 W. 800 N., Suite 150,214, Salt Lake City, Utah 84012.84103.

 

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Annual Meeting to be held on November 3, 2017.July 9, 2021: The Company’s Proxy Statement and Annual Report to Stockholders for the fiscal year ended December 31, 20162020 are available on the Internet at www.viewproxy.com/ProLung/2017.IONIQ/2020.