U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM S-8
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER THE
SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
COMMISSION FILE NO. 000-26913
AMERICAN COMMERCE SOLUTIONS, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware 3559 05-0460102
(State or jurisdiction of (Primary Standard Industrial (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization) Classification Code Number) Identification No.)
1400 Chamber Drive, Bartow, Florida 33830
(Address and telephone number of Registrant's principal executive offices and
principal place of business)
EMPLOYEE STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN FOR THE YEAR 2003
NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS AND CONSULTANTS RETAINER STOCK PLAN FOR THE YEAR 2003
(Full title of the Plans)
Daniel L. Hefner, 1400 Chamber Drive, Bartow, Florida 33830
(Name and address of agent for service)
(863) 533-0326
(Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
===============================================================================================
Proposed maximum
Title of securities to Amount to be Proposed offering aggregate offering Amount of
be registered registered price per share (1) price registration fee
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock 15,000,000 $0.04(2) $600,000 $55.20
Common Stock 5,000,000 $0.04(3) $200,000 $18.40
Total 20,000,000 $800,000 $73.60
===============================================================================================
1. The Offering Price is used solely for purposes of estimating the
registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(h) promulgated pursuant to the
Securities Act of 1933.
2. This Offering Price per Share is established pursuant to the option
exercise price set forth in the Employee Stock Incentive Plan for the Year
2003, set forth in Exhibit 4.1 to this Form S-8.
3. This Offering Price per Share is established pursuant to the Non-Employee
Directors and Consultants Retainer Stock Plan for the Year 2003, set forth
in Exhibit 4.2 to this Form S-8.
PART I
Information Required in the Section 10(a) Prospectus
ITEM 1. PLAN INFORMATION.
See Item 2 below.
ITEM 2. REGISTRANT INFORMATION AND EMPLOYEE PLAN ANNUAL INFORMATION.
The documents containing the information specified in Part I, Items 1 and
2, will be delivered to each of the participants in accordance with Form S-8 and
Rule 428 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933. The participants shall be
provided a written statement notifying them that upon written or oral request
they will be provided, without charge, (i) the documents incorporated by
reference in Item 3 of Part II of the registration statement, and (ii) other
documents required to be delivered pursuant to Rule 428(b). The statement will
inform the participants that these documents are incorporated by reference in
the Section 10(a) prospectus, and shall include the address (giving title or
department) and telephone number to which the request is to be directed.
PART II
Information Required in the Registration Statement
ITEM 3. INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.
The following are hereby incorporated by reference:
(a) The Registrant's latest annual report on Form 10-KSB for the
fiscal year ended February 28, 2002, filed on June 12, 2002.
(b) The Registrant's quarterly reports on Form 10-QSB for the quarters
ended May 31, 2002, August 31, 2002 and November 30, 2002.
(c) All other reports filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 since the end of the fiscal year covered by the
Form 10-KSB referred to in (a) above.
(d) A description of the Registrant's securities contained in the
Registration Statement on Form 10-SB filed by the Registrant to register the
common stock under the Exchange Act, including all amendments filed for the
purpose of updating such common stock description.
All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14, and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been
sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed
to be incorporated by reference in the registration statement and to be part
thereof from the date of filing of such documents.
ITEM 4. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.
Not applicable.
ITEM 5. INTEREST OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.
Other than as set forth below, no named expert or counsel was hired on a
contingent basis, will receive a direct or indirect interest in the small
business issuer, or was a promoter, underwriter, voting trustee, director,
officer, or employee of the Registrant.
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ITEM 6. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.
Our bylaws do not contain a provision entitling any director or executive
officer to indemnification against its liability under the Securities Act. The
Delaware General Corporation Law allows a company to indemnify our officers,
directors, employees, and agents from any threatened, pending, or completed
action, suit, or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, or
investigative, except under certain circumstances. Indemnification may only
occur if a determination has been made that the officer, director, employee, or
agent acted in good faith and in a manner, which such person believed to be in
the best interests of the Registrant. A determination may be made by the
stockholders; by a majority of the directors who were not parties to the action,
suit, or proceeding confirmed by opinion of independent legal counsel; or by
opinion of independent legal counsel in the event a quorum of directors who were
not a party to such action, suit, or proceeding does not exist.
Provided the terms and conditions of these provisions under Delaware law
are met, officers, directors, employees, and agents of the Registrant may be
indemnified against any cost, loss, or expense arising out of any liability
under the Securities Act. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising
under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling
persons of the Registrant, we have been advised that in the opinion of the
Securities and Exchange Commission, such indemnification is against public
policy and is, therefore, unenforceable.
Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, stated herein,
provides further for permissive indemnification of officers and directors.
(a) A corporation shall have power to indemnify any person who was or is a
party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or
completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or
investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) by
reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or
agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation
as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership,
joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys'
fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably
incurred by the person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if the
person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be
in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to
any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe the
person's conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding
by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or
its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did
not act in good faith and in a manner which the person reasonably believed to be
in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to
any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that the
person's conduct was unlawful.
(b) A corporation shall have power to indemnify any person who was or is a
party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or
completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a
judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that the person is or was a
director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at
the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of
another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise
against expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred by
the person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit
if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed
to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and except that
no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to
which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation
unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which
such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite
the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case,
such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses
which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.
(c) To the extent that a present or former director or officer of a
corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any
action, suit or proceeding referred to in subsections (a) and (b) of this
section, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, such person shall
be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys fees) actually and
reasonably incurred by such person in connection therewith.
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(d) Any indemnification under subsections (a) and (b) of this section
(unless ordered by a court) shall be made by the corporation only as authorized
in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification of the present or
former director, officer, employee or agent is proper in the circumstances
because the person has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in
subsections (a) and (b) of this section. Such determination shall be made, with
respect to a person who is a director or officer at the time of such
determination, (1) by a majority vote of the directors who are not parties to
such action, suit or proceeding, even though less than a quorum, or (2) by a
committee of such directors designated by majority vote of such directors, even
though less than a quorum, or (3) if there are no such directors, or if such
directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or (4)
by the stockholders.
(e) Expenses (including attorneys' fees) incurred by an officer or director
in defending any civil, criminal, administrative or investigative action, suit
or proceeding may be paid by the corporation in advance of the final disposition
of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on
behalf of such director or officer to repay such amount if it shall ultimately
be determined that such person is not entitled to be indemnified by the
corporation as authorized in this section. Such expenses (including attorneys'
fees) incurred by former directors and officers or other employees and agents
may be so paid upon such terms and conditions, if any, as the corporation deems
appropriate.
(f) The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted
pursuant to, the other subsections of this section shall not be deemed exclusive
of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification or advancement of
expenses may be entitled under any bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or
disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in such person's
official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such
office.
(g) A corporation shall have power to purchase and maintain insurance on
behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the
corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a
director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint
venture, trust or other enterprise against any liability asserted against such
person and incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of such
person's status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to
indemnify such person against such liability under this section.
(h) For purposes of this section, references to "the corporation" shall
include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent corporation
(including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or
merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and
authority to indemnify its directors, officers, and employees or agents, so that
any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such
constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent
corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation,
partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same
position under this section with respect to the resulting or surviving
corporation as such person would have with respect to such constituent
corporation if its separate existence had continued.
(i) For purposes of this section, references to "other enterprises" shall
include employee benefit plans; references to "fines" shall include any excise
taxes assessed on a person with respect to any employee benefit plan; and
references to "serving at the request of the corporation" shall include any
service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation which
imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee, or
agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or
beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner such person
reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries
of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner "not
opposed to the best interests of the corporation" as referred to in this
section.
(j) The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted
pursuant to, this section shall, unless otherwise provided when authorized or
ratified, continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer,
employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and
administrators of such a person.
(k) The Court of Chancery is hereby vested with exclusive jurisdiction to
hear and determine all actions for advancement of expenses or indemnification
brought under this section or under any bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders
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or disinterested directors, or otherwise. The Court of Chancery may summarily
determine a corporation's obligation to advance expenses (including attorneys'
fees).
ITEM 7. EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.
Not applicable.
ITEM 8. EXHIBITS.
The Exhibits required by Item 601 of Regulation S-B, and an index thereto,
are attached.
ITEM 9. UNDERTAKINGS.
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
(a) (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement: (iii) To
include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not
previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to
such information in the registration statement;
(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be
a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.
(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.
(b) That, for purposes of determining any liability under the
Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant's annual report pursuant
to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and,
where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report
pursuant to section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is
incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.
(c) To deliver or cause to be delivered with the prospectus, to each
person to whom the prospectus is sent or given, the latest annual report to
security holders that is incorporated by reference in the prospectus and
furnished pursuant to and meeting the requirements of Rule 14a-3 or Rule 14c-3
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and, where interim financial
information required to be presented by Article 3 of Regulation S-X are not set
forth in the prospectus, to deliver, or cause to be delivered to each person to
whom the prospectus is sent or given, the latest quarterly report that is
specifically incorporated by reference in the prospectus to provide such interim
financial information
(d) That insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling
persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise,
the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and
Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will
be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration
statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorize, in the City of Bartow, Florida, on May 27, 2003.
AMERICAN COMMERCE SOLUTIONS, INC.
By /s/ Daniel L. Hefner
-------------------------------------
Daniel L. Hefner, President
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.
SIGNATURE TITLE DATE
--------- ----- ----
/s/ Daniel L. Hefner President and Director May 27, 2003
------------------------
Daniel L. Hefner
/s/ Frank D. Puissegur Chief Financial Officer and Director May 27, 2003
------------------------
Frank D. Puissegur
/s/ Robert E. Maxwell Director May 27, 2003
------------------------
Robert E. Maxwell
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EXHIBIT INDEX
EXHIBIT NO. DESCRIPTION
----------- -----------
4.1 Employee Stock Incentive Plan for the Year 2003
4.2 Non-Employee Directors and Consultants Retainer Stock Plan for
the Year 2003
5 Opinion Re: Legality
23.1 Consent of Accountants
23.2 Consent of Counsel
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