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Table of Contents
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
SCHEDULE 14A
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of
the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Filed by the Registrant ☒
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant ☐
Check appropriate box:
☐ |
Preliminary Proxy Statement |
☐ |
Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) |
☒ |
Definitive Proxy Statement |
☐ |
Definitive Additional Materials |
☐ |
Soliciting Material Pursuant §240.14a-12 |
SONOMA
PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. |
(Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter) |
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(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant) |
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
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No fee required. |
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Fee computed based on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11. |
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Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies: |
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Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies: |
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3) |
Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined): |
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4) |
Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction: |
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5) |
Total fee paid: |
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Fee paid previously with preliminary materials. |
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Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing. |
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1) |
Amount Previously Paid: |
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2) |
Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.: |
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3) |
Filing Party: |
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4) |
Date Filed: |
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Notice of 2025 Annual
Stockholders’ Meeting
and Proxy Statement
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Wednesday,
August 27, 2025
at 2 p.m. MDT |

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Letter to our Stockholders from our Board of Directors |
|
Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders |
|
Proxy Summary |
1 |
General Voting and Meeting Information |
1 |
Questions and Answers |
3 |
Governance |
6 |
Proposal 1 – Election of Directors |
6 |
Directors and Nominees |
6 |
Director Biographies and Qualifications |
7 |
Board Meetings |
10 |
Committees of the Board of Directors |
10 |
Director Independence and Related Person Transactions |
12 |
Information about Corporate Governance |
12 |
Director Compensation |
15 |
Executive Compensation |
16 |
Executive Officers’ Biographies and Qualifications |
16 |
Named Executive Officers |
18 |
Compensation Overview |
18 |
Summary Executive Compensation Table |
21 |
Employment Agreements and Potential Payments upon Termination |
22 |
Annual Performance Bonus Plan |
24 |
Outstanding Equity Awards |
27 |
Proposal 2 – Advisory Approval of Executive Compensation |
28 |
Audit Matters |
29 |
Report of the Audit Committee |
29 |
Proposal 3 – Ratification of the Appointment of Frazier & Deeter, LLC |
30 |
Principal Accountant Fees and Services |
30 |
Audit Committee Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures |
30 |
Proposal 4 – Adjournment to Solicit Additional Proxies |
31 |
Pay Versus Performance |
31 |
Share Ownership |
34 |
Equity Compensation Plan Information |
34 |
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners |
34 |
Delinquent Section 16(a) Reports |
36 |
General Information |
37 |
Stockholder Proposals and Additional Information |
37 |
“Householding” of Proxy Materials |
38 |
Other Matters |
38 |
Appendix A – Proxy Card |
A-1 |

5445 Conestoga Court, Suite 150
Boulder, Colorado 80301
(800) 759-9305
Dear Fellow Stockholder:
The Board of Directors
takes its role as representative of the Company seriously and believes that accountability and stockholder communication are vital to
the ongoing growth of the Company. Pursuant to this, you are cordially invited to attend the 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Sonoma
Pharmaceuticals, Inc. The meeting will be held at 2:00 p.m. MDT, on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, in the Company’s office at 5445
Conestoga Court, Unit 150, Boulder, CO, 80301. The formal notice of the 2025 Annual Meeting and proxy statement have been made a part
of this invitation.
At this year’s
meeting, we will vote on the election of Dr. Jay Birnbaum as a Class II director and the ratification of the selection of Frazier &
Deeter, LLC as our independent registered public accounting firm. We will also conduct a non-binding advisory vote to approve the compensation
of our named executive officers.
Whether or not
you attend the Annual Meeting, it is important that your shares are represented and voted at the Annual Meeting. You may vote over the
Internet or by telephone or, if you requested printed copies of the proxy materials, by mailing a proxy or voting instruction card. Voting
over the Internet, by telephone or by written proxy will ensure your representation at the Annual Meeting regardless of whether you attend
the meeting.
The proxy statement
and the Annual Report are available at www.envisionreports.com/SNOA and our website at www.ir.sonomapharma.com/annual-reports, by using
the QR codes at the end of this document, or by contacting our Investor Relations department through email at ir@sonomapharma.com.
We are excited
about the future of Sonoma as we continue to grow our business and pursue opportunities which we believe will create value for Sonoma
and our stockholders. We thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to hearing from you at our Annual Stockholders’
Meeting.
Sincerely,
 |
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Jay Birnbaum |
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Jerry McLaughlin |
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|

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Amy Trombly |
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Philippe Weigerstorfer |
Notice of 2025
Annual Meeting of Stockholders
Wednesday, August
27, 2025, 2:00 p.m., Mountain Time
5445 Conestoga Court, Unit 150, Boulder CO 80301
We are pleased
to invite you to join our Board of Directors, management and other stockholders for our 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Sonoma
Pharmaceuticals, Inc. The meeting will be held in our offices located at 5445 Conestoga Court, Unit 150, Boulder, CO 80301, at 2:00 p.m.
MDT on Wednesday, August 27, 2025. The purposes of the meeting are:
· |
To elect one Class II director, Dr. Jay Birnbaum, nominated by our Board of Directors, to serve until the 2028 Annual Meeting of Stockholders or until their successors are duly elected and qualified; |
· |
To consider and vote on whether to approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of our Named Executive Officers for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025; |
· |
To ratify the appointment of Frazier & Deeter, LLC as our independent auditors for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026; and |
· |
To authorize the adjournment of the meeting to permit further solicitation of proxies, if necessary or appropriate, if sufficient votes are not represented at the meeting to approve any of the foregoing proposals. |
Our Board of Directors recommends you vote “FOR”
the election of each director nominee and “FOR” each of the additional proposals.
Only stockholders
of record at the close of business on July 8, 2025 are entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting and any adjournments or
postponements thereof. For ten days prior to the Annual Meeting, a complete list of stockholders entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting
will be available for inspection at the Company’s principal executive offices, 5445 Conestoga Court, Suite 150, Boulder, Colorado
80301.
All stockholders are cordially invited to attend
the Annual Meeting in person. Whether or not you plan to attend, please vote your shares by telephone or by the Internet as promptly
as possible. Telephone and Internet voting instructions can be found on the notice card. Should you receive more than one proxy because
your shares are registered in different names and addresses, each proxy should be signed and returned to assure that all your shares will
be voted. You may revoke your proxy at any time prior to the Annual Meeting. If you attend the Annual Meeting and vote in person, your
proxy will be revoked and only your vote in person at the Annual Meeting will be counted.
The Proxy Statement and our
Annual Report for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025, are available at www.envisionreports.com/SNOA or http://ir.sonomapharma.com/annual-reports.
You can also access these materials by scanning the QR codes on the last page of this Proxy Statement, or by contacting our Investor Relations
department by email at ir@sonomapharma.com.
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By Order of the Board of Directors, |
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Bruce Thornton |
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Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Corporate Secretary |
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Boulder, Colorado |
Your Vote is Important
to us. Regardless of whether you plan to attend, we urge all stockholders to vote on the matters described in the accompanying
Proxy Statement. We hope that you will promptly vote and submit your proxy by dating, signing and returning the enclosed proxy card. This
will not limit your rights to attend or vote at the Annual Meeting.
Proxy
Summary
General Voting and Meeting Information
This Proxy
Statement and accompanying form of proxy are being mailed to stockholders on or about July 18, 2025. All proxy materials will also be
made available via www.envisionreports.com/SNOA. It is important that you carefully review the proxy materials and follow the instructions
below to cast your vote on all voting matters.
Voting Methods
Even if you
plan to attend the Annual Meeting in person please vote as soon as possible by using one of the following advance voting methods.
Voting via the
Internet or by telephone helps save money by reducing postage and proxy tabulation costs.
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VOTE BY INTERNET*
24 hours a day / 7 days a week |
1.
2.
3. |
Read this Proxy Statement.
Go to the applicable website listed on your proxy card or voting instructions
form. Have this Proxy Statement, proxy card, or voting instruction form in hand and follow the instructions.
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VOTE BY TELEPHONE*
24 hours a day / 7 days a week |
1.
2.
3. |
Read this Proxy Statement.
Call the number listed on your proxy card or voting instructions form.
Have this Proxy Statement, proxy card, or voting instruction form in
hand and follow the instructions.
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VOTE BY MAIL |
1.
2. |
Read this Proxy Statement.
Fill out, sign and date each proxy card or voting instruction form
you receive and return it in the prepaid envelope. |
*If you are
a beneficial owner you may vote via the telephone or internet if your bank, broker, or other nominee makes those methods available, in
which case they will include the instructions with the proxy materials. If you are a stockholder of record, Sonoma will include instructions
on how to vote via internet or telephone directly on your proxy voting card.
We encourage
you to register to receive all future shareholder communications electronically, instead of print. This means that access to the annual
report, proxy statement, and other correspondence will be delivered to you via e-mail.
Voting at the Annual Meeting
Stockholders of
record may vote at the Annual Meeting. Beneficial owners may vote in person if they have a legal proxy from their brokerage firm, bank,
or custodian. Beneficial owners should contact their bank or brokerage account representative to learn how to obtain a legal proxy. We
encourage you to vote your shares in advance of the Annual Meeting by one of the methods described above, even if you plan on attending
the Annual Meeting.
Voting Matters and Board Recommendations
Stockholders
are being asked to vote on the following matters at the 2024 Annual Meeting:
Proposal |
Recommendation |
PROPOSAL 1 - Election of Directors |
FOR |
Election of one Class II director nominee, Dr. Jay Birnbaum. The Board believes that the nominee’s knowledge, skills, and abilities would positively contribute to the function of the Board as a whole. |
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PROPOSAL 2 - Advisory Vote to Approve Executive Compensation |
FOR |
The Say-on-Pay Proposal, to approve, on a non-binding advisory basis, the compensation paid to the Named Executive Officers for the year ended March 31, 2025, as described below in the section entitled “Compensation Overview.” The Company has designed its compensation programs to reward and motivate employees to continue to grow the Company. The Compensation Committee takes stockholder views seriously and will take into account the advisory vote in future executive compensation decisions. |
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PROPOSAL 3 – Ratification of the Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm |
FOR |
The Audit Committee has appointed Frazier & Deeter, LLC as our Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026. The Audit Committee and the Board believe that the retention of Frazier & Deeter, LLC is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders. |
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PROPOSAL 4 – Adjournment to Solicit Additional Proxies |
FOR |
Approval of the adjournment of the Annual Meeting to establish a quorum or to solicit additional proxies in the event that there are not sufficient votes at the time of the Annual Meeting. |
|
Questions
and Answers
1. |
What is a proxy statement, what is a proxy and how does it work? |
A proxy statement is a document that
the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission requires us to give you when we ask you to sign a proxy card designating someone other than
you to vote the stock you own. The written document you sign indicating who may vote your shares of common stock is called a proxy card
and the person you designate to vote your shares is called a proxy. The Board of Directors is asking to act as your proxy. By signing
and returning to us the proxy card enclosed you are designating us as your proxy to cast your votes at the Annual Meeting. We will cast
your votes as you indicate on the enclosed proxy card.
Our employees, officers, and directors
may solicit proxies. We will bear the cost of soliciting proxies and will reimburse brokerage houses and other custodians, nominees and
fiduciaries for their reasonable, out-of-pocket expenses for forwarding proxy and solicitation material to the owners of our common stock.
2. |
Who is entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders? |
Only stockholders who were Sonoma Pharmaceuticals,
Inc. stockholders of record at the close of business on July 8, 2025, or the Record Date, may vote at the 2025 Annual Meeting.
As of the close of business on the Record Date, there were 1,642,765 shares of our common stock outstanding. Each stockholder is entitled
to one vote for each share of our common stock held as of the Record Date.
3. |
What is the difference between a stockholder of record and a beneficial owner? |
If your shares are registered directly
in your name with Sonoma’s transfer agent, Computershare, Inc., you are considered, with respect to those shares, a stockholder
of record. As a shareholder of record, you will receive a notice regarding the availability of the Proxy Statement, Annual Report,
and proxy card directly from us.
If your shares are held in a brokerage
account or by a bank or other nominee, you are considered a beneficial owner of your shares. As a beneficial owner, you will receive
a notice regarding the availability of the Proxy Statement, Annual Report, and voting instruction form forwarded to you by your broker,
bank, or nominee who is considered, with respect to those shares, the stockholder of record. As the beneficial owner, you have the right
to direct your broker, bank, or nominee how to vote your shares by using the voting instruction form included in the mailing. If you do
not give instructions to your bank or brokerage firm, it will nevertheless be entitled to vote your shares with respect to “routine”
items, but will not be permitted to vote your shares with respect to “non-routine” items. In the case of a non-routine item,
your shares will be considered “broker non-votes” on that proposal.
4. |
What does it mean if I receive more than one proxy card? |
If you hold your shares in multiple
registrations, or in both registered and street name, you will receive a proxy card for each account. Please mark, sign, date, and return
each proxy card you receive. If you choose to vote by telephone or Internet, please vote each proxy card you receive.
5. |
Will there be any other items of business on the agenda? |
We do not expect any other items of
business because the deadline for stockholder proposals and nominations has already passed. Nonetheless, in case there is an unforeseen
need, the accompanying proxy gives discretionary authority to the persons named on the proxy with respect to any other matters that might
be brought before the meeting. Those persons intend to vote that proxy in accordance with their best judgment.
6. |
How will my shares be voted? |
To designate how you would like to
vote, fill out the proxy card indicating how you would like your votes cast. If you sign and return the enclosed proxy, but do not specify
how to vote, we will vote your shares as follows:
|
· |
“FOR” Proposal No. 1 to elect one Class II director nominee, Dr. Jay Birnbaum; |
|
· |
“FOR” Proposal No. 2, the Say-on-Pay Proposal, to approve on a non-binding advisory basis, the compensation paid to our Named Executive Officers for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025; |
|
|
|
|
· |
“FOR” Proposal No. 3, to ratify the appointment of Frazier & Deeter, LLC as our independent auditors for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026; and |
|
|
|
|
· |
“FOR” Proposal No. 4, to authorize the adjournment of the meeting to permit further solicitation of proxies, if necessary or appropriate, if sufficient votes are not represented at the meeting to approve any of the foregoing proposals. |
7. |
Can I change my vote or revoke my proxy? |
You may change your vote or revoke
your proxy at any time prior to the vote at the Annual Meeting. If you submitted your proxy by mail, you must file with our Secretary,
at Sonoma Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 5445 Conestoga Court, Suite 150, Boulder, CO 80301, a written notice of revocation or deliver a valid,
later-dated proxy. If you submitted your proxy by telephone or the Internet, you may change your vote or revoke your proxy with a later
telephone or Internet proxy, as the case may be. Attendance at the Annual Meeting will not have the effect of revoking a proxy unless
you give written notice of revocation to the Secretary before the proxy is exercised or you vote by written ballot at the Annual Meeting.
8. |
What is a broker non-vote and what is the impact of not voting? |
A broker “non-vote” occurs
when a bank, broker, or nominee holding shares of common stock for a beneficial owner does not vote on one or more proposals because the
nominee does not have discretionary voting power on that matter, which is also referred to as holding shares in street name. Your bank
or broker does not have discretion to vote uninstructed shares the proposals in this Proxy Statement except for Proposals 3 and 4. As
a result, if you hold your shares in street name, it is critical that you provide instructions to your bank or broker, if you want your
vote to count in the election of directors or the advisory vote related to executive compensation. If you are a stockholder of record
and you do not cast your vote, no votes will be cast on your behalf on any of the items of business at the Annual Meeting.
9. |
What constitutes a quorum? |
A quorum is the minimum number of stockholders
necessary to conduct the Annual Meeting. The presence at the Annual Meeting, in person or by proxy, of the holders of at least one-third
of common stock outstanding on the Record Date will constitute a quorum. As of the close of business on the Record Date, there were 1,642,765
shares of our common stock outstanding. Votes “for” and “against,” “abstentions,” and broker “non-votes”
will all be counted as present to determine whether a quorum has been established.
10. |
Is cumulative voting permitted for the election of directors? |
No, each stockholder may vote only
the number of shares he or she owns for a single director candidate.
11. |
What is the vote required for a proposal to pass? |
Proposal No. 1—Election of
Directors: The affirmative vote of a plurality of the votes cast of the shares of common stock present or represented and entitled
to vote at the Annual Meeting, in person or by proxy, is required for the election of a nominee. Thus, assuming a quorum is present at
the Annual Meeting, the nominee who receives the most affirmative votes will be elected as a Class II director. Abstentions and broker
“non-votes” will not have any effect on the voting outcome with respect to the election of directors.
Proposal No. 2—Say-on-Pay:
Because this proposal asks for a non-binding, advisory vote, there is no required vote that would constitute approval. We value the
opinions expressed by our stockholders in this advisory vote, and our Compensation Committee, which is responsible for overseeing and
administering our executive compensation programs, will consider the outcome of the vote when designing our compensation programs and
making future compensation decisions for our Named Executive Officers. Abstentions and broker “non-votes,” if any, will not
have any impact on this advisory vote.
Proposal No. 3—Ratification
of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm: The affirmative vote of a majority of the votes present at the Annual Meeting and
entitled to vote, in person or by proxy, is required to ratify our selection of Frazier & Deeter, LLC as our independent registered
public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026. Abstentions will have the practical effect of a vote to not ratify our
selection. Because we believe that Proposal No. 4 is a routine proposal on which a broker or other nominee is generally empowered to vote,
broker “non-votes” likely will not result from this proposal. If you are a beneficial owner holding shares through a broker,
bank, or other nominee and you do not instruct your broker or bank, your broker or bank may cast a vote on your behalf for this proposal.
Proposal No. 4—Adjournment
to Solicit Additional Proxies: The affirmative vote of a majority of the votes present at the Annual Meeting and entitled to vote,
in person or by proxy, is required to adjourn the Annual Meeting, if necessary, until a quorum is present or represented.
Governance
Proposal No. 1 – Election of
Directors
Upon the recommendation of
the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, our Board of Directors has nominated Dr. Jay Birnbaum for election at the 2025 Annual
Meeting. The Board believes that the nominee’s knowledge, skills, and abilities would positively contribute to the function of the
Board as a whole. Accordingly, your proxy holder will vote your shares FOR the election of the Board’s nominee named
below unless you instruct otherwise.
Directors
and Nominees
At our 2008 Annual
Meeting of Stockholders, our stockholders approved an amendment to our Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, which provided
that directors are classified into three classes, as nearly equal in number as possible, with each class serving for a staggered three-year
term. Our Board currently consists of four directors:
|
Name |
Position with the Company |
Director
Since |
Term
Expires |
Class I |
|
|
|
|
|
Philippe Weigerstorfer |
Class I Director |
2018 |
2027 |
|
Amy Trombly |
Class I Director |
2022 |
2027 |
Class II |
|
|
|
|
|
Jay Birnbaum |
Class II Director |
2007 |
2025 |
Class III |
|
|
|
|
|
Jerry McLaughlin |
Class III Director |
2013 |
2026 |
With regard to the election
of directors, votes may be cast “FOR” or “WITHHOLD.” Provided that a quorum is present, the affirmative vote by
the holders of a plurality of the shares of common stock present and voting at the Annual Meeting is required to elect a nominee for director.
What am I voting on and what is the required vote?
Stockholders are being asked to elect one Class
II director for a three-year term. The nominee is currently a director of Sonoma. Biographical and related information about all directors,
including Dr. Birnbaum, who is the nominee for this year’s election, is set forth below. Although the Board expects that the nominee
will be available to serve as a director, if they should be unwilling or unable to serve, the Board may decrease the size of the Board
or may designate substitute nominees and the proxies will be voted on such substitute nominee. The affirmative vote of a plurality of
the votes cast of the shares of common stock present or represented and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting, in person or by proxy,
is required for the election of a nominee.
|
 |
Your Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR the election of the director nominee, Jay Birnbaum. |
Director
Biographies and Qualifications
Below are the biographies of our directors and
certain information regarding each director’s experience, attributes, skills and/or qualifications that led to the conclusion that
the director should be serving as a director of Sonoma.
 |
Jay
Birnbaum
Current Position:
Director Since:
Age:
Committee Membership: |
Independent Director
April 2007
80
Audit, Compensation, Nominating
and Corporate Governance |
Dr. Birnbaum
is a pharmacologist and since 1999, has been a consultant to pharmaceutical companies in his area of expertise. He previously served as
Vice President of Global Project Management at Novartis/Sandoz Pharmaceuticals Corporation, where he was also responsible for the strategic
planning and development of the company’s dermatology portfolio. Dr. Birnbaum was a co-founder and former Chief Medical Officer
of Kythera Biopharmaceuticals (which was acquired by Allergan), a member of the board of directors of Excaliard Pharmaceuticals (which
was acquired by Pfizer), a co-founder and Executive Vice President of Lipido Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and has served on the scientific advisory
board of several companies. Dr. Birnbaum is a co-founder and member of the Board of Directors of Hallux, Inc.
Education:
|
l |
B.S. in Biology from Trinity College in Connecticut |
|
l |
Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Wisconsin |
Special
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
 |
Extensive
Knowledge of the Company’s Business
Dr. Birnbaum
has served on our Board for 17 years, and has gained a deep understanding of the workings and direction of the Company. He has successfully
guided the Company through leadership and strategy transitions evidencing his commitment to the Company and his willingness to adapt to
ensure its continued success. |
 |
Pharmaceutical
Background
Dr. Birnbaum
has extensive experience in pharmacology, having served as a practicing pharmacologist and consultant for over a decade. Dr. Birnbaum
also was the co-founder and former Chief Medical Officer of Kythera Biopharmaceuticals (which was acquired by Allergan), and a member
of the board of directors of Excaliard Pharmaceuticals (which was acquired by Pfizer). Currently, co-founder and member of the Board of
Directors of Hallux, Inc.. |
 |
Leadership
Dr. Birnbaum
has extensive leadership experience in the pharmaceutical industry. He has co-founded multiple biopharmaceutical companies, served on
the board of directors for companies in the industry, as well as serving on several scientific advisory boards in the life sciences field. |
 |
Jerry
McLaughlin
Current
Position:
Director
Since:
Age:
Committee
Membership: |
Lead Independent Director
March 2013
77
Audit (Chair),
Compensation (Chair) |
Mr. McLaughlin
served as Interim Chief Executive Officer of Applied BioCode, Inc. from November 2011 to April 2013. In April 2011, he also founded, and
until April 2016, served as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, of DataStream Medical Imaging Systems, Inc., a start-up
to develop diagnostic imaging software applications that work in conjunction with existing digital radiology platforms. He previously
served as President of DataFlow Information Systems, from July 2007 to December 2011, and President and Chief Executive Officer of CompuMed,
Inc. from May 2002 to June 2007.
Education:
|
l |
B.S. in Pharmacy from State University of New York at Buffalo |
Special
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
 |
Sales and
Marketing
Mr. McLaughlin
possesses significant sales and marketing experience, having worked with several companies in the scientific industry. |
 |
Healthcare
Industry
Mr. McLaughlin
has a depth of experience operating and serving as senior management in the scientific, software, and medical device industry, including
having positions of increasing authority at DataStream Medical Imaging Systems; DataFlow Information Systems and CompuMed, Inc.
|
 |
Leadership
Mr. McLaughlin
has extensive leadership experience both as a director and executive at multiple companies. His range of experiences offers versatility
and skill in many areas of leadership. Mr. McLaughlin has served as our Lead Independent Director since 2014. |
 |
Philippe
Weigerstorfer
Current Position:
Director Since:
Age:
Committee Memberships: |
Independent Director
September 2018
65
Audit, Nominating and Corporate Governance (Chair) |
Mr. Weigerstorfer
has served on our Board of Directors since September 2018. He is the owner and managing director of Weigerstorfer New Venture LLC (GmbH)
Switzerland. From 2011 until the end of 2017, Mr. Weigerstorfer was the managing director of Vifor Pharma Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, a company
of the Vifor Pharma Group, which specializes in treatment and prevention of iron deficiencies and also contains an infectious diseases/OTX
product portfolio. As managing director, Mr. Weigerstorfer was responsible for managing the activities of Vifor Asia Pacific in Singapore
and overseeing the Asia Pacific region. He worked at Vifor Pharma since 2008. From 2000 to 2016, he worked at Galencia Ltd. where he rose
to the position of Special Advisor to the executive Chairman of Galencia, helping insure corporate growth through acquisition of pharmaceutical
companies, licenses, and projects. From 1996 to 1999 he worked at Novartis Pharma Ltd. where he headed the corporate marketing for the
“dermatology and others” area and helped Novartis to become one of the leading dermatology company in the world. Previous
to that, Mr. Weigerstorfer worked with Sandoz Pharma AG in many different roles including as head of the dermatology and cardiovascular
business unit. He also taught at business school.
Education:
|
l |
Degree in Business Administration and Economics from University Basel |
|
l |
Minor in Law from University Basel |
Special
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
 |
Pharmaceutical
Background
Mr. Weigerstorfer
has worked in the pharmaceutical industry for most of his career and has extensive experience working strategically in the field both
internationally and during the development of clinical-stage products. |
 |
International Business
Mr. Weigerstorfer
has extensive experience in global markets, having spent much of his career working in Switzerland, Canada, and Singapore. He has worked
for foreign-based companies, including one of the leading dermatology companies in the world. |
 |
Sales and
Marketing
Mr. Weigerstorfer
possesses significant sales and marketing experience, having worked with several companies in the pharmaceutical industry and overseeing
much of their sales and business strategy. |
Amy Trombly,
age 57, was appointed to our Board of Directors on July 22, 2022. She has been our Chief Executive Officer since September 27, 2019. For
information regarding her experience, attributes, skills and/or qualifications, please refer to “Executive Officers’ Biographies
and Qualifications” below.
Board
Meetings
Our Board of
Directors held 5 meetings in fiscal year 2025 and, in addition, took action from time to time by unanimous written consent. In fiscal
year 2024, no incumbent director attended fewer than 75% of the total number of Board meetings (held during the period for which such
director served) and all directors attended all of the meetings. The independent directors met regularly in executive sessions without
the participation of the Chief Executive Officer or the other members of management. We do not have a policy that requires the attendance
of directors at our Annual Meetings of Stockholders. Ms. Trombly attended the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
Committees
of the Board of Directors
Our Board of
Directors has appointed an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee, and a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. The Board of
Directors has determined that each director who serves on these committees is “independent,” as that term is defined by the
Nasdaq Listing Rules and rules of the SEC. The Board of Directors has adopted written charters for its Audit Committee, its Compensation
Committee, and its Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Copies of these charters are available on our website at http://ir.sonomapharma.com/governance-docs.
In addition to the number of meetings referenced below, the Committees also took actions by unanimous written consent.
Information
about each of our committees is stated below.
Name of Committee Member |
Audit |
Compensation |
Nominating and Corporate Governance |
Jerry McLaughlin |
C |
C |
|
Philippe Weigerstorfer |
M |
|
C |
Jay Birnbaum |
M |
M |
M |
C = Committee
Chair
M = Member
Audit
Committee
 |
Jerry McLaughlin
Committee Chair |
Other Committee Members:
Jay Birnbaum, and Philippe Weigerstorfer
Meetings Held in Fiscal Year 2025: 4
|
Each of the members on the Audit Committee meets
the independence standards for independent directors under the Nasdaq Listing Rules. Mr. McLaughlin meets the standard of “audit
committee financial expert,” as defined in Item 407(d)(5)(ii) of Regulation S-K. The Audit Committee has a written charter.
Primary Function:
To assist the Board of Directors in fulfilling
its oversight responsibilities related to our financial statements, system of internal control over financial reporting, auditing, accounting
and financial reporting processes. Other specific duties and responsibilities of the Audit Committee are to appoint, compensate, evaluate
and, when appropriate, replace our independent registered public accounting firm; review and pre-approve audit and permissible non-audit
services; review the scope of the annual audit; monitor the independent registered public accounting firm’s relationship with us;
and meet with the independent registered public accounting firm and management to discuss and review our financial statements, internal
control over financial reporting, and auditing, accounting and financial reporting processes.
Compensation
Committee
 |
Jerry McLaughlin
Committee Chair |
Other Committee Members:
Jay Birnbaum
Meetings Held in Fiscal Year 2025: 2
|
Primary Function:
To assist the Board of Directors in meeting its
responsibilities in regards to oversight and determination of executive compensation and to review and make recommendations with respect
to major compensation plans, policies, and programs of our Company. Other specific duties and responsibilities of the Compensation Committee
are to review and approve goals and objectives relevant to the recommendations for approval by the independent members of the Board of
Directors regarding compensation of our Chief Executive Officer and other executive officers, establish and approve compensation levels
for our Chief Executive Officer and other executive officers, and to administer our stock plans and other equity-based compensation plans.
Nominating
and Corporate Governance Committee
 |
Philippe Weigerstorfer
Committee Chair |
Other Committee Members:
Jay Birnbaum
Meetings Held in Fiscal Year 2025: 1
|
Primary Function:
To identify
qualified individuals to become members of the Board of Directors, determine the composition of the Board and its Committees, and to monitor
a process to assess Board effectiveness. Other specific duties and responsibilities of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
are to recommend nominees to fill vacancies on the Board of Directors, review and make recommendations to the Board of Directors with
respect to director candidates proposed by stockholders, and review, on an annual basis, the functioning and effectiveness of the Board
and its Committees.
Director
Independence and Related Person Transactions
Independent
Directors
Standard for Independence—We
determine independence using the definitions set forth in the Nasdaq Listing Rules and the rules under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934. These definitions define independence based on whether the director or a family member of the director has been employed by the
Company in the past three years, how much compensation the director or family member of a director received from the Company, how much
stock the director or a family member of the director owns in the Company, and whether the director or a family member of the director
is associated with the Company’s independent auditor.
The Board has determined that the following directors are
independent:
|
· |
Jay Birnbaum; |
|
· |
Jerry McLaughlin; and |
|
· |
Philippe Weigerstorfer. |
Related
Person Transactions
It is our policy that all employees, officers
and directors must avoid any activity that is, or has the appearance of, conflicting with the interests of our Company. This policy is
included in our Code of Business Conduct, and our Board formally adopted a Related Party Transaction Policy and Procedures in July 2007
for the approval of interested transactions with persons who are Board members or nominees, executive officers, holders of 5% of our common
stock, or family members of any of the foregoing. The Related Party Transaction Policy and Procedures are administered by our Audit Committee.
We conduct a review of all related party transactions for potential conflict of interest situations on an ongoing basis and all such transactions
relating to executive officers and directors must be approved by the Audit Committee.
Since April 1, 2023, there has not been any transaction,
nor is there any proposed transaction, in which the Company was a participant, and in which a “related party” of the Company
had or is expected to have a direct or indirect material interest, in which the amount involved exceeded $120,000.
Arrangements
or Understandings between our Executive Officers or Directors and Others
There are no
arrangements or understandings between our executive officers or directors and any other person pursuant to which he was or is to be selected
as a director or officer.
Information
about Corporate Governance
On October
26, 2017, our Board adopted corporate governance standards to provide a structure within which directors and management effectively pursue
the Company’s objectives for the benefit of the Company’s stockholders. These standards set out the principal functions of
the Board, its structure and composition, operations, interaction with third parties and committees as well as management’s responsibilities.
A copy of the corporate governance guidelines is available on our website at http://ir.sonomapharma.com/governance-docs.
Board Leadership Structure
Since February
1, 2013, we have had separate individuals serving as Chairman of the Board of Directors and our Principal Executive Officer. Ms. Trombly
was appointed as our Chief Executive Officer on September 27, 2019. The Board appointed Mr. Jerry McLaughlin to serve as the Lead Independent
Director effective March 26, 2014. As Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Trombly manages the day-to-day affairs of the Company and, as Lead
Independent Director, Mr. McLaughlin leads the Board meetings and leads the Board in overseeing management. On July 22, 2022, Ms. Trombly
was appointed to serve as a member of the Board of Directors.
The Board believes
that this structure is currently serving our Company well, and intends to maintain it where appropriate and practicable in the future.
We have had varying board leadership models over our history, at times separating the positions of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
and at times combining the two. The Board believes that the right structure should be informed by the needs and circumstances of our Company,
the Board, and our stockholders, and we believe having an independent director lead the Board best serves these interests.
Risk Oversight Management
The Board of
Directors takes an active role, as a whole, and at the committee level, in overseeing management regarding our Company’s risks.
Our management keeps the Board of Directors apprised of significant risks facing our Company and the approach being taken to understand,
manage, and mitigate such risks. Specifically, strategic risks are overseen by the full Board of Directors; financial risks are overseen
by the Audit Committee; risks relating to compensation plans and arrangements are overseen by the Compensation Committee; risks associated
with director independence and potential conflicts of interest are overseen by the Audit Committee or the full Board of Directors. The
Board has created in the past and plans to, when necessary in the future, create a Special Transaction Committee to review potential or
actual conflicts of interest. Additional review or reporting on enterprise risks is conducted as needed, or as requested by the full Board
of Directors, or the appropriate committee.
Director Nominations
The Board of
Directors nominates directors for election at each Annual Meeting of Stockholders and appoints new directors to fill vacancies when they
arise. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee has the responsibility to identify, evaluate, recruit, and recommend qualified
candidates to the Board of Directors for nomination or election.
One of the
Board of Directors’ objectives in evaluating director nominations is to ensure that its membership is composed of experienced and
dedicated individuals with a diversity of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will
select nominees for director based on their character, judgment, diversity of experience, business acumen, and ability to act on behalf
of all stockholders. We do not have a formal diversity policy. However, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee endeavors to
have a Board representing diverse viewpoints as well as diverse expertise at policy-making levels in many areas, including business, accounting
and finance, healthcare, manufacturing, marketing and sales, education, legal, government affairs, regulatory affairs, research and development,
business development, international aspects of our business, technology, and in other areas that are relevant to our activities.
The Nominating
and Corporate Governance Committee believes that nominees for director should have experience, such as those mentioned above, that may
be useful to Sonoma and the Board of Directors, high personal and professional ethics, and the willingness and ability to devote sufficient
time to carry out effectively their duties as directors. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee believes it appropriate for
at least one, and, preferably, multiple, members of the Board of Directors to meet the criteria for an “audit committee financial
expert” as defined by rules of the SEC, and for a majority of the members of the Board of Directors to meet the definition of “independent
director” as defined by the Nasdaq Listing Rules. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee also believes it appropriate
for key members of our management to participate as members of the Board of Directors. Prior to each Annual Meeting of Stockholders, the
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee identifies nominees first by evaluating the current directors whose term will expire at
the Annual Meeting and who are willing to continue in service. These candidates are evaluated based on the criteria described above, including
as demonstrated by the candidate’s prior service as a director, and the needs of the Board of Directors with respect to the particular
talents and experience of its directors. In the event that a director does not wish to continue in service, the Nominating and Corporate
Governance Committee determines not to re-nominate the director, or if a vacancy is created on the Board of Directors as a result of a
resignation, an increase in the size of the Board or other event, the Committee will consider various candidates for Board membership,
including those suggested by the Committee members, by other Board members, by any executive search firm engaged by the Committee or by
stockholders. The Committee recommended the nominees for election included in this Proxy Statement. A stockholder who wishes to suggest
a prospective nominee for the Board of Directors should notify Sonoma’s Secretary, or any member of the Committee in writing, and
include any supporting material the stockholder considers appropriate. In addition, our Bylaws contain provisions addressing the process
by which a stockholder may nominate an individual to stand for election to the Board of Directors at our Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
In order to nominate a candidate for director, a stockholder must give timely notice in writing to Sonoma’s Secretary and otherwise
comply with the provisions of our Bylaws. To be timely, our Bylaws provide that we must have received the stockholder’s notice not
earlier than 90 days nor more than 120 days in advance of the one-year anniversary of the date the Proxy Statement was released to the
stockholders in connection with the previous year’s Annual Meeting of Stockholders; however, if we have not held an Annual Meeting
in the previous year or the date of the Annual Meeting is changed by more than 30 days from the date contemplated at the time of the mailing
of the prior year’s Proxy Statement, we must have received the stockholder’s notice not later than the close of business on
the later of the 90th day prior to the Annual Meeting or the seventh day following the first public announcement of the Annual Meeting
date. Information required by the Bylaws to be in the notice includes the name and contact information for the candidate, the name and
contact information of the person making the nomination, and other information about the nominee that must be disclosed in proxy solicitations
under Section 14 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the related rules and regulations under that Section.
Stockholder
nominations must be made in accordance with the procedures outlined in, and must include the information required by, our Bylaws and must
be addressed to: Secretary, Sonoma Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 5445 Conestoga Court, Suite 150, Boulder, Colorado 80301. You can obtain a copy
of our Bylaws by writing to the Secretary at this address.
Stockholder Communications with
the Board of Directors
If you wish
to communicate with the Board of Directors, you may send your communication in writing to: Secretary, Sonoma Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 5445
Conestoga Court, Suite 150, Boulder 80301. Please include your name and address in the written communication and indicate whether you
are a stockholder of Sonoma. The Secretary will review any communication received from a stockholder, and all material communications
from stockholders will be forwarded to the appropriate director or directors or Committee of the Board of Directors based on the subject
matter.
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics
We have adopted
a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that applies to our directors, officers and employees, including our Chief Executive Officer, our
Chief Financial Officer and other employees who perform financial or accounting functions. The Code of Business Conduct and Ethics sets
forth the basic principles that guide the business conduct of our employees. A current copy of the code is on our website at http://ir.sonomapharma.com/governance-docs.
We intend to
disclose future amendments to certain provisions of our code of business conduct and ethics, or waivers of such provisions on our website
to the extent required by applicable rules and exchange requirements. The inclusion of our website address in this proxy statement does
not incorporate by reference the information on or accessible through our website into this proxy statement.
Insider Trading Policy and Procedures
We have adopted an
insider trading policy governing the purchase, sale, and/or other dispositions of our securities by our directors, officers and employees
and other covered persons. We believe these policies and procedures are reasonably designed to promote compliance with insider trading
laws, rules and regulations and applicable listing standards.
Director
Compensation
The following table sets forth the amounts and
the value of other compensation earned or paid to our directors for their service in fiscal year 2024.
Name of Director |
Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($) (1) |
Option Awards ($) (2)(3) |
Total ($) |
Jay Birnbaum |
55,000 |
17,088 |
65,088 |
Jerry McLaughlin |
65,000 |
17,088 |
81,088 |
Philippe Weigerstorfer |
47,500 |
17,088 |
68,088 |
(1) |
Includes the cash retainer fees earned by each non-employee director in fiscal year 2024. |
(2) |
Represents the aggregate grant date fair value of option awards granted in the covered fiscal year as computed in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. The fair value of each option award is estimated for the covered fiscal year on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option valuation model. A discussion of the assumptions used in calculating the amounts in this column may be found in Note 13 to our audited consolidated financial statements for the applicable fiscal year. The amounts in this column do not represent the actual amounts paid to or realized by our directors during the covered fiscal year. |
(3) |
Each director was awarded 7,500 options on January 2, 2025 as part of the annual grant. The options have an exercise price of $2.68 per share and vest in three equal tranches on the first, second and third anniversary of the grant date, or upon change of control. |
As of March 31, 2025, our independent directors
had the following aggregate numbers of granted and outstanding options, respectively: Dr. Birnbaum – 10,029, Mr. Weigerstorfer –
10,001; and Mr. McLaughlin – 10,044.
Narrative to
Director Compensation Table
Non-Employee
Director Compensation Plan
Pursuant to
our non-employee director compensation plan, as amended on December 29, 2022, during the year ended March 31, 2025 each non-employee director
is entitled to the following annual retainers:
· |
Board Member |
$32,500 |
· |
Lead Independent Director |
$15,000 |
· |
Chair of the Audit Committee |
$10,000 |
· |
Chair of the Compensation Committee |
$7,500 |
· |
Chair of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee |
$7,500 |
· |
Audit Committee Member (other than Chair) |
$7,500 |
· |
Compensation Committee Member (other than Chair) |
$7,500 |
· |
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee Member (other than the Chair) |
$7,500 |
All Audit Committee
retainers must be paid in cash. All other retainers may be paid in (i) cash, (ii) options, or (iii) as a stock grant, at the election
of each director. We also reimburse our non-employee directors for reasonable expenses in connection with attendance at Board and committee
meetings.
In
addition to the annual retainers, non-employee directors are also eligible to receive an annual grant of 20,000 options to purchase
up to 20,000 shares of common stock. The annual grant is made in or around January of each year together with the employee annual
grant. The annual grant was adjusted in January 2025. No annual grant shall be granted to any non-employee director in the same
calendar year that such person received his or her initial grant.
Each newly
elected or appointed non-employee director will receive our initial grant of 2,500 shares of common stock upon his or her election to
the Board of Directors. The initial grant will vest in three equal installments over a period of three years, on the first, second, and
third anniversary of the grant.
In the interest
of good corporate governance and to further align the interests of members of the Board of Directors with the Company’s stockholders,
the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board of Directors has adopted stock ownership guidelines for directors. Under
these guidelines, if a director exercises a stock option, it is expected that such director would, from such date of option exercise,
maintain ownership of at least a number of shares equal to twenty percent of the net value of the shares acquired (after deducting the
exercise price and taxes). In the case of shares acquired upon the exercise of a stock option, each director is expected to hold such
shares for nine months after termination of his or her service on the Board of Directors.
Executive Compensation
Executive
Officers’ Biographies and Qualifications
Below are the biographies
of our executive officers and certain information regarding each officer’s experience, attributes, skills and/or qualifications
that led to the conclusion that the officer should be serving as an officer of Sonoma.
Amy Trombly, Chief Executive Officer
Ms. Trombly, age 58, has
been our Chief Executive Officer since September 27, 2019. She has counseled public companies for two decades in corporate and securities
law and mergers and acquisitions. She owned and managed Trombly Business Law, PC from 2002 to 2022. In her earlier career, Ms. Trombly
was a Vice President at State Street Bank and Special Counsel at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Education:
|
· |
BS in Finance from Babson College |
|
· |
J.D. from Suffolk University Law School |
|
· |
Member of the bar in Massachusetts and Colorado |
Special Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
 |
Leadership
Ms. Trombly was the owner of Trombly Business
Law, P.C. for over 20 years. Prior to that, she served in senior positions at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, State Street
Bank, and Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.
|
 |
Extensive Knowledge of the Company’s Business
Ms. Trombly has counseled the Company for over
15 years and gained extensive knowledge of our business and operations.
|
 |
Legal Expertise
Ms. Trombly
is able to consistently utilize her legal training and experience when making decisions in the best interest of the Company.
|
Jerry Dvonch, Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Dvonch, age 57, was appointed
as our Chief Financial Officer on February 7, 2024, after serving as our Interim Chief Financial Officer since April 7, 2023. He also
served as our Chief Financial Officer from September 2020 to November 2022. From March 2017 to August 2020, he was the controller and
Senior Vice President of Finance and Accounting of the SpineCenter Atlanta. From March 2016 to April 2016, he was a consultant controller
for DS Healthcare Group, Inc. Prior to that he was the director for external reporting and director of finance of NeoGenomics Laboratories
from July 2005 to July 2015. He has over 15 years of experience with SEC reporting.
Education:
|
· |
Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Niagara University |
|
· |
Master of Business Administration in Finance from University of Rochester |
|
· |
Certified Public Accountant in New York |
Special Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
 |
Leadership
Mr. Dvonch has extensive knowledge leading companies
for over 20 years in various industries, including at several healthcare companies.
|
 |
Business Operations
Mr. Dvonch has over 25 years of experience in
various financial leadership positions.
|
 |
Financial Expertise
Mr. Dvonch is a licensed Certified Public Accountant
and holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. His variety of financial experience provides depth and knowledge on a range
of financial matters.
|
Bruce Thornton, Executive Vice President
and Chief Operating Officer, Corporate Secretary
Mr. Thornton,
age 61, has served as our Chief Operating Officer since April 2020 and serves as our Corporate Secretary. Mr. Thornton served as our Executive
Vice President for International Operations and Sales and General Manager for U.S. operations from March 2004 to April 2020. He served
as Vice President of Operations for Jomed (formerly EndoSonic Corp.) from January 1999 to September 2003, and as Vice President of Manufacturing
for Volcano Therapeutics, an international medical device company, following its acquisition of Jomed, until March 2004.
Education:
|
· |
BS in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University |
|
· |
MBA from National University |
Special Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
 |
Business Development
Mr. Thornton has been working for our Company
for over 20 years, including in leadership positions and operations. He has an extensive knowledge of our operations, the market for our
products, and our vision and goals for the future. |
 |
Business Operations
Mr. Thornton has extensive experience managing
operations. In addition to serving as our Company’s EVP of International Operations and Manager of Operations for a decade, Mr.
Thornton has managed major business operations for other companies in the industry for over 25 years. |
 |
Leadership
Mr. Thornton has served both as an executive and
high-level manager at our Company for over 15 years and has served in similar roles at other companies in the medical device sector. He
oversaw our Petaluma facility closure and has taken on leadership roles in our Company during management transitions. He also served
in the U.S. Army. |
Named
Executive Officers
This Proxy
Statement contains information about the compensation paid to our Named Executive Officers, as defined by Item 402(m)(2) of Regulation
S-K, during our fiscal year ended March 31, 2025, or fiscal year 2025. For fiscal year 2025, in accordance with the rules and regulations
of the Securities and Exchange Commission for smaller reporting companies, we determined that the following officers were our Named Executive
Officers:
|
· |
Amy Trombly, Chief Executive Officer; |
|
· |
Jerry Dvonch, Chief Financial Officer; and |
|
· |
Bruce Thornton, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. |
Compensation
Overview
We qualify
as a “smaller reporting company” under the rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission, and we have elected
to comply with the disclosure requirements applicable to smaller reporting companies. Accordingly, this executive compensation summary
is not intended to meet the “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” disclosure required of larger reporting companies.
Role
of the Compensation Committee
The Compensation
Committee’s primary functions are to assist the Board of Directors in meeting its responsibilities in regard to oversight and determination
of executive compensation and to review and make recommendations with respect to our major compensation plans, policies, and programs.
All compensation for our executive officers is determined by the Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors, which is composed only
of independent directors. The Compensation Committee is charged with the responsibility of setting performance targets under the executive
bonus plan, reviewing their performance, and establishing the total compensation of our executive officers on an annual basis. The Compensation
Committee often discusses compensation matters as part of regularly scheduled Board and committee meetings. The Compensation Committee
administers our 2016 Equity Incentive Plan and our 2024 Equity Incentive Plan and is responsible for approving grants of equity awards
under such plans. The Compensation Committee acts under the authority of a written charter, which is available on our website at http://ir.sonomapharma.com/governance-docs.
Compensation Philosophy and Objectives
Our compensation
philosophy for our Named Executive Officers is the same as for all our employees and is governed by the following principles. The Compensation
Committee’s compensation objectives are to:
|
· |
attract and retain highly qualified individuals with a demonstrated record of achievement; |
|
· |
reward past performance; |
|
· |
provide appropriate incentives for future performance; and |
|
· |
align the interests of our executive officers with the interests of the stockholders. |
To achieve
this, we currently offer a competitive total compensation package consisting of: base salary; annual equity program; annual performance
bonuses; and employee benefits, including group life insurance, health and dental care insurance; and certain other perquisites.
The Compensation Committee considers,
with respect to each of our executive officers, the total compensation that may be awarded, including base salary, annual incentive compensation,
long-term incentive compensation, and other benefits, such as discretionary cash bonuses, perquisites and other personal benefits available
to each executive officer or that may be received by such executive officer under certain circumstances, including compensation payable
upon termination of the executive officer under an employment agreement or severance agreement (if applicable) to determine final compensation.
The Compensation Committee’s overall goal is to award compensation that is reasonable when all elements of potential compensation
are considered. The Compensation Committee believes that cash compensation in the form of base salary and an annual incentive bonus provides
the executives with short-term rewards for success in operations, and that long-term compensation through the award of stock options,
and other equity awards aligns the objectives of management with those of our stockholders with respect to long-term performance and success.
The Compensation Committee also has
historically focused on our financial and working capital condition when making compensation decisions and approving performance objectives.
Because the Company has historically sought to preserve cash and currently does not operate at a profit, overall compensation traditionally
has been weighted more heavily toward equity-based compensation. The Compensation Committee will continue to periodically reassess the
appropriate weighting of cash and equity compensation in light of the Company’s expenditures in connection with commercial operations
and its working capital needs.
Compensation
Structure
Our executive
compensation program consists of the following forms of compensation:
|
· |
Base Salary; |
|
· |
Annual Equity Program; |
|
· |
Annual Performance Bonus; and |
|
· |
Employee Benefit Program. |
1. Base
Salary: The Compensation Committee believes it is important to provide adequate fixed compensation to our executive officers.
The Compensation Committee believes base salaries should be at the appropriate cash compensation level that will allow us to attract and
retain highly skilled executives. In determining appropriate base salary levels for a given executive officer, the Compensation Committee
considers the following factors:
|
· |
individual performance of the executive, as well as overall performance, during the prior year; |
|
· |
level of responsibility, including breadth, scope and complexity of the position; |
|
· |
level of experience and expertise of the executive; |
|
· |
internal review of the executive’s compensation relative to other executives to ensure internal equity; and |
|
· |
executive officer compensation levels at other similar companies to ensure competitiveness. |
Salaries for
executive officers are determined on an individual basis at the time of hire. Adjustments to base salary are considered annually in light
of each executive officer’s individual performance, the Company’s performance, and compensation levels at peer companies in
our industry, as well as changes in job responsibilities or promotion.
2. Annual
Equity Program: As an additional component of our compensation program, the Compensation Committee may grant to our executive
officers’ equity compensation in the form of stock options, restricted stock units, or shares of common stock with or without vesting
schedule. The goal of the annual equity program is to align the interests of our executive officers with those of our stockholders, especially
in the long-term. The stock options are designed to create an incentive for the executive officers to maximize stockholder value and to
remain employed with the Company despite a competitive labor market.
Equity may
be granted once annually to existing employees, including executive officers, and upon a new hire or promotion, and could be subject to
vesting over time, qualified on the individual’s continued employment. The target date to issue equity is at the beginning of a
new calendar year. The exercise price of the stock options will equal the closing price of our common stock published by Nasdaq on the
date of the grant and the term of the options will be 10 years from the date of the grant. The Compensation Committee will review the
annual equity program annually.
The Compensation
Committee has sole discretion with respect to the tax treatment for equity awards and may decide, among others, to facilitate the sale
of a sufficient number of the granted shares to cover taxes, or to require employees to be responsible for their own taxes.
3. Performance
Bonus Plan: Our performance bonus plan is described in further detail below in the section entitled “Annual Performance
Bonus Plan.”
4. Employee
Benefit Program: Executive officers are eligible to participate in all of our available employee benefit plans, including medical,
dental, vision, group life, disability, and tax-qualified retirement savings plans, such as 401(k), in each case on the same basis as
other employees, subject to applicable law. We also provide vacation and other paid holidays to all employees, including executive officers,
all of which the Compensation Committee believes to be comparable to those provided at peer companies. These benefit programs are designed
to enable us to attract and retain workforce in a competitive marketplace. Health, welfare, and vacation benefits ensure that we have
a productive and focused workforce through reliable and competitive health and other benefits.
We believe
our approach to goal setting, setting of targets with payouts at multiple levels of performance, and evaluation of performance results
assist in mitigating excessive risk-taking that could harm our value or reward poor judgment by our executive officers.
Summary
Executive Compensation Table for the Fiscal Years Ended March 31, 2025 and 2024
The following
table sets forth, for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, all compensation paid or earned by (i) all individuals serving as
our Principal Executive Officer; (ii) our two most highly compensated executive officers, other than our Principal Executive Officer,
who were serving as executive officers at the end of our fiscal year ended March 31, 2025; and (iii) up to two individuals for whom disclosure
would have been provided but for the fact that the individual was not serving as an executive officer at the end of our last completed
fiscal year. These executive officers are referred to herein as our “Named Executive Officers.”
Name and Principal Position |
Fiscal Year Ended March 31, |
Salary ($) |
Bonus
($) |
Stock Awards
($)(1) |
Option Awards ($) (1) |
All Other Compensation (2) ($) |
Total
($) |
Amy Trombly
Chief Executive Officer |
2025 |
325,000 |
162,500 |
37,732 (3) |
-- |
71,844 |
597,075 |
2024 |
325,000 |
162,500 |
109,053 (4) |
(5) 8,672 |
121,318 |
726,543 |
Jerry Dvonch
Chief Financial Officer(6) |
2025 |
240,000 |
17,753 |
37,732 (3) |
-- |
62,042 |
357,527 |
2024 |
60,000 |
- |
30,000 (7) |
(5) 8,672 |
208,786 |
307,458 |
Bruce Thornton
Executive Vice President and Chief
Operating Officer |
2025 |
260,800 |
163,980 |
37,732 (3) |
-- |
69,857 |
532,369 |
2024 |
255,400 |
150,000 |
(4) 109,053 |
(5) 8,672 |
135,443 |
658,568 |
(1) |
Represents the aggregate grant date fair value of stock or option awards granted in the covered fiscal year as computed in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. The fair value of each stock option award is estimated for the covered fiscal year on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option valuation model. A discussion of the assumptions used in calculating the amounts in this column may be found in Note 13 to our audited consolidated financial statements for the applicable fiscal year. The amounts in this column do not represent the actual amounts paid to or realized by our Named Executive Officers during the fiscal years ended March 31, 2025 and 2024. |
(2) |
The following table provides the details for the amounts reported for FY 2025 and FY 2024 for each Named Executive Officer: |
Name |
Fiscal Year Ended March 31, |
Personal Use of Company Car or Car Allowance ($) |
Matching 401k Contribution ($) |
Premium for Life, Health,
Dental and Vision Insurance
($) |
Consulting Fees
($) |
Health and Welfare
Benefits
Continuation ($) |
Tax
Gross-Ups
($) |
Amy Trombly
|
2025 |
-- |
13,800 |
43,932 |
-- |
-- |
14,111 |
2024 |
-- |
13,450 |
39,283 |
-- |
-- |
68,585 |
Jerry Dvonch
|
2025 |
-- |
10,310 |
46,731 |
-- |
-- |
5,000 |
2024 |
-- |
2,400 |
10,542 |
186,450 |
9,394 |
-- |
Bruce Thornton
|
2025 |
-- |
13,800 |
38,393 |
-- |
-- |
17,664 |
2024 |
5,850 |
13,392 |
35,325 |
-- |
-- |
80,876 |
(3) |
On June 20, 2024, we granted 2,679 Restricted Stock Units to each of Ms. Trombly, Mr. Dvonch and Mr. Thornton, which vested on the grant date. On January 2, 2025, we granted 10,000 Restricted Stock Units to each of Ms. Trombly, Mr. Dvonch and Mr. Thornton, which vest on the third anniversary of the grant date, or upon change of control |
(4) |
The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors approved an equity award of 5,000 shares of the Company’s common stock to each of Ms. Trombly and Mr. Thornton, issued on June 30, 2023, at a valuation based on the five day weighted trailing average of the Company’s stock price on the day of grant. In addition, the Compensation Committee also approved a one-time cash payment by the Company as reimbursement for estimated taxes payable with respect to such equity awards. |
(5) |
Annual grant of stock options with an exercise price of $0.18 per share, dated December 29, 2023 for services in fiscal year 2023: 40,000 options each for Amy Trombly and Bruce Thornton. The December 29, 2023 options vest one-third each on December 29, 2024, December 29, 2025, and December 29, 2026. |
(6) |
Mr. Dvonch served as our interim Chief Financial Officer from April 7,
2023 to February 7, 2024, and currently serves as our Chief Financial Officer. From April 7, 2023 to December 17, 2023, Mr. Dvonch
served as our interim Chief Financial Officer pursuant to a consulting agreement. On December 18, 2023, he was converted
to a full-time employee and on February 7, 2024 was appointed Chief Financial Officer. |
(7) |
On April 7, 2023, we granted Mr. Dvonch $30,000 in restricted common stock vesting in two equal tranches on July 15, 2023 and August 15, 2023. The value of the stock was determined using a five day weighted trailing average on the day of grant. |
Employment
Agreements and Potential Payments upon Termination
Employment Agreement with Ms.
Trombly
Effective June
16, 2023, we entered into an amended and restated employment agreement with our Chief Executive Officer, Amy Trombly.
We agreed to
pay Ms. Trombly a base salary of $325,000 per annum, subject to increase by the Board, and to provide our standard medical, dental and
vacation benefits. Ms. Trombly will be eligible for a target bonus of up to 50% of her base salary per year upon the completion of certain
agreed-upon goals based on the sole discretion of the Compensation Committee, and may earn 120% of the target bonus per year for exceeding
goals, in the discretion of the Compensation Committee. She is also eligible for annual equity grants in the sole discretion of the Compensation
Committee.
On June 12,
2025, the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors increased Ms. Trombly’s base salary to $375,000. All other terms of the
employment agreement remain in effect.
The employment
agreement provides Ms. Trombly with certain separation benefits in the event of termination without cause, for good reason or change of
control, as such terms are defined in the employment agreement. In the event Ms. Trombly is terminated without cause, or for good reason
or upon change of control, she is entitled to:
· |
a lump sum severance payment equal to one time her base salary, or, in the event of termination upon change of control either without cause or for good reason, a lump sum severance equal to one and a half times her base salary; |
· |
upon termination without cause or for good reason a pro-rata bonus, upon determination by the Corporation’s Board of Directors or Compensation Committee, as appropriate, to be made in its sole discretion, and one and a half times her target annual bonus upon termination upon change of control. The amount, form and payment schedule of such bonus shall be determined by the Compensation Committee. |
· |
automatic vesting of all unvested time-based options and equity awards; |
· |
vesting of performance-based equity compensation awards in accordance with the terms of the awards, if the performance goals are satisfied, such determination to be in the sole discretion of the Compensation Committee or the Board, as the case may be; and |
· |
reimbursement for health care premiums under COBRA until the earliest of: (i) six or twelve months following the date of termination depending on the reason for termination; (ii) the date she is no longer eligible to receive COBRA continuation coverage; or (iii) until she becomes eligible for medical insurance coverage provided by another employer. |
Either party may terminate the employment agreement
for any reason upon at least 60 days prior written notice. Upon termination for any reason, all vested equity awards will remain exercisable
for 18 months following the termination. Receipt of the termination benefits described above is contingent on executing a general release
of claims against our Company, resignation from any and all directorships and every other position held by the executive with our Company
or any of our subsidiaries, and return of all Company property. In addition, Ms. Trombly will be required to comply with the confidentiality,
non-compete, anti-solicitation and non-disparagement provisions of the employment agreement during the term of employment and for two
years following termination.
Employment Agreement with Mr. Bruce Thornton
Effective June 16, 2023, we entered into an amended
and restated employment agreement with Bruce Thornton. Under the new agreement, Mr. Thornton serves as Executive Vice President and Chief
Operating Officer of the Company. The terms of the employment agreement provide for an annual salary of $260,800 for Mr. Thornton. Mr.
Thornton also receives certain benefits, such as participation in our health and welfare plans, vacation and reimbursement of expenses
and a car allowance. Mr. Thornton will be eligible for a target bonus of up to 50% of his base salary per year upon the completion of
certain agreed-upon goals based on the sole discretion of the Compensation Committee, and may earn 120% of the target bonus per year for
exceeding goals, in the discretion of the Compensation Committee. He is also eligible for annual equity grants in the sole discretion
of the Compensation Committee.
On June 12,
2025, the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors increased Mr. Thornton’s base salary to $300,000. All other terms of
the employment agreement remain in effect.
The employment agreement provides Mr. Thornton
with certain separation benefits in the event of termination without cause, for good reason or upon change of control, as such terms are
defined in the employment agreement. In the event Mr. Thornton is terminated without cause, for good reason or upon a change of control,
he is entitled to:
· |
a lump sum severance payment equal to one time his base salary, or, in the event of termination upon change of control either without cause or for good reason, a lump sum severance equal to one and a half times his base salary; |
· |
in the event of termination without cause or for good reason, a pro-rata bonus, upon determination by the Corporation’s Board of Directors or Compensation Committee, as appropriate, to be made in its sole discretion as to whether to grant a bonus, and if such bonus is granted, the amount, form and payment schedule; |
· |
in the event of termination upon change of control, one and a half
times his target annual bonus; |
· |
automatic vesting of all unvested time-based options and equity awards and exercisability of awards for the remainder of their respective terms; |
· |
vesting of performance-based equity compensation awards in accordance with the terms of the awards, if the performance goals are satisfied, such determination to be in the sole discretion of the Compensation Committee or the Board, as the case may be; and |
· |
reimbursement for health care premiums under COBRA until the earliest of: (i) one year following the date of termination; (ii) the date he is no longer eligible to receive COBRA continuation coverage; or (iii) until he becomes eligible for medical insurance coverage provided by another employer. |
Either party may terminate the employment agreement
for any reason upon at least 60 days prior written notice. Receipt of the termination benefits described above is contingent on executing
a general release of claims against our Company, resignation from any and all directorships and every other position held by him with
our Company or any of our subsidiaries, and return of all Company property. In addition, Mr. Thornton is not entitled to such benefits
if he does not comply with the non-competition and invention assignment provisions of his employment agreement during the term of his
employment or the confidentiality, non-solicitation and non-disparagement provisions of the employment agreement, during and for two years
after his termination.
Employment Arrangement with Mr. Jerome Dvonch
Effective February 7, 2024, our Board of Directors
appointed Jerome Dvonch as our Chief Financial Officer. We agreed to pay Mr. Dvonch a base salary of $240,000 per year. Mr. Dvonch is
eligible for a bonus up to 50% of his annual salary, prorated the first year based on a fiscal year end of March 31 and dependent upon
meeting specified performance goals. He is also eligible for equity grants within the normal employee equity programs and for benefits,
such as vacation, and our medical, dental, vision and retirement plans.
Potential Payments upon Termination
The table
below was prepared as though each of our Named Executive Officers had been terminated on March 31, 2024, the last day of our last completed
fiscal year, without cause, or upon change of control, or resigned for good reason, as these terms are defined in the agreements with
our Company. More detailed information about the payment of benefits, including duration, is contained in the discussion above. In addition
to salary and benefits, the Compensation Committee or the Board of Directors may also award a discretionary bonus, the amount, type and
payment of which is at the sole discretion of the Committee or Board. All such payments and benefits would be provided by us. The assumptions
and valuations are noted in the footnotes.
Name |
Salary
Continuation upon Termination without Cause ($) |
Salary Continuation upon Termination upon Change of Control ($) |
Bonus Payment upon Termination upon Change of Control ($) |
Health and Welfare
Benefits
Continuation ($) (1) |
Amy Trombly |
325,000 |
487,500 |
243,750 |
43,932 (2) |
Bruce Thornton |
260,800 |
391,200 |
195,600 |
38,393 (3) |
(1) |
Amount assumes our cost of providing life, health, dental and vision insurance at the same rate for twelve months. |
(2) |
On June 16, 2023, we entered into an employment agreement with Ms. Trombly pursuant to which she is entitled to six- and twelve months’ base salary severance and six or twelve months of COBRA insurance premium reimbursements for termination without cause or upon change of control, respectively and certain additional benefits as described in more detail in the section “Employment Agreement with Ms. Amy Trombly.” |
(3) |
On June 16, 2023, we entered into an employment agreement with Mr. Thornton pursuant to which he is entitled to twelve months’ base salary severance and twelve months of COBRA insurance premium reimbursements for termination without cause or upon change of control, respectively and certain additional benefits as described in more detail in the section “Employment Agreement with Mr. Bruce Thornton.” |
Annual
Performance Bonus Plan
Pursuant to our
annual bonus plan, our executive officers, including our Named Executive Officers, have the potential to earn an annual bonus based on
the individual’s contribution to our Company’s target goals and milestones. The performance bonus plan is designed to reward
long and short-term performance of our executive officers. The Executive will be eligible for a target bonus of up to 50% of his or her
base salary per year upon the completion of certain agreed-upon goals based on the sole discretion of the Compensation Committee, and
may earn 120% of the target bonus per year for exceeding goals, in the sole discretion of the Compensation Committee.
The Compensation
Committee establishes specific target goals and milestones for each executive officer to reward performance and individual and collective
contribution to our performance. At its sole discretion, the Compensation Committee will determine whether to pay out the bonus, as earned,
after the end of the fiscal year in cash, shares of stock, restricted stock units, stock options, or a combination thereof. For the avoidance
of doubt, the Compensation Committee may determine that no bonus is payable to any or all executive officers. All decisions of the Compensation
Committee are final.
The Compensation
Committee will evaluate the performance of our executive officers against the corporate goals and objectives contained in the performance
bonus plan after completion of each fiscal year and receipt of audited financial results of operations, on such date as determined by
the Compensation Committee (except as otherwise expressly provided herein).
The Compensation
Committee will review and consider changes and, if appropriate, make changes to the performance bonus plan for the following fiscal year
during or at the end of each fiscal year and any other fiscal year for which the Compensation Committee resolves to extend the plan. The
Compensation Committee shall have absolute sole discretion to amend the plan at any time.
The Compensation
Committee is empowered to make additional awards to executive officers in its sole discretion. Any other awards to executive officers
that may be made under the performance bonus plan may be made in the form of cash, restricted stock units, stock options or stock, or
a combination thereof as determined solely by the Compensation Committee.
In determining
whether stock awards shall be made, the Compensation Committee will take into consideration the shares available for grant under our Stock
Incentive Plans, our contractual obligations to grant options, and whether it is appropriate to grant additional awards to attract or
retain talented officers, other employees, or consultants. In no event shall the number of options, units, or stock granted exceed the
number of shares authorized and available for awards to be made under our Stock Incentive Plans plus the known contractual obligations
to grant options in the next one-year period. Options, units, or stock will be granted in compliance with all applicable securities laws.
The performance
bonus plan does not intend to adjust the executive officers’ base salary. To be eligible to receive an award or payment of a bonus,
including vesting of stock, units, or options, under the plan, each executive officer must remain employed and in good standing with the
Company as further described in our Stock Incentive Plans.
Fiscal Year 2024 Bonus Awards for
Named Executive Officers
On June 16, 2023, the Compensation
Committee approved bonus awards for our Named Executive Officers. The Committee determined that Ms. Trombly and Mr. Thornton each contributed
to the overall performance of the Company, including in connection with closing our facility in Georgia and consolidating operations to
Boulder, Colorado, strengthening the Company’s finances, building distributor partnerships and certain other achievements. The Committee
awarded the following cash bonuses:
|
· |
Amy Trombly: $162,500, or 50% of annual base salary; |
|
· |
Bruce Thornton: $150,000, or 60% of annual base salary. |
On June 16, 2023, the Compensation Committee also
approved an equity award of 5,000 shares of the Company’s common stock to each of Ms. Trombly and Mr. Thornton, issued on June 30,
2023, at a valuation based on the five-day weighted trailing average of the Company’s stock price on the day of grant. In addition,
the Compensation Committee approved a one-time cash payment by the Company as reimbursement for estimated taxes payable with respect to
such equity awards.
Fiscal Year 2025 Bonus Awards
for Named Executive Officers
On June 14, 2024, the Compensation
Committee approved bonus awards for our Named Executive Officers. The Committee determined that Ms. Trombly, Mr. Dvonch and Mr. Thornton
each contributed to the overall performance of the Company, including strengthening the Company’s finances, building distributor
partnerships and certain other achievements. The Committee awarded the following cash bonuses:
|
· |
Amy Trombly: $162,500, or 50% of annual base salary; |
|
· |
Jerry Dvonch: $17,753.42, or 50% of annual base salary prorated from February 7, 2024; and |
|
· |
Bruce Thornton: $156,480, or 60% of annual base salary. |
On June 14, 2024, the Compensation Committee also
approved an equity award of 2,679 Restricted Stock Units to each of Ms. Trombly, Mr. Dvonch and Mr. Thornton, to be issued on June 20,
2024, at a valuation based on the five day weighted-average stock price prior to the date of grant. In addition, the Compensation Committee
approved a one-time cash payment by the Company as reimbursement for estimated taxes payable with respect to such equity awards.
Fiscal Year 2026 Bonus Awards
for Named Executive Officers
On June 12, 2025, the Compensation
Committee approved bonus awards for our Named Executive Officers. The Committee determined that Ms. Trombly, Mr. Dvonch and Mr. Thornton
each contributed to the overall performance of the Company, including strengthening the Company’s finances, building distributor
partnerships and certain other achievements. The Committee awarded the following cash bonuses:
|
· |
Amy Trombly: $195,000, or 60% of annual base salary; |
|
· |
Jerry Dvonch: $60,000, or 25% of annual base salary; and |
|
· |
Bruce Thornton: $156,480, or 60% of annual base salary. |
Also on June 12, 2025, the Compensation Committee
increased Ms. Trombly’s annual base salary to $375,000 and increased Mr. Thornton’s base salary to $300,000. All other terms
of the employment agreement remain in effect. As of the date of this filing, no changes have been made to the annual performance bonus
plan for fiscal year 2026.
Also on June 12, 2025, the Compensation Committee
also approved an equity award of 13,500 Restricted Stock Units to each of Ms. Trombly, Mr. Dvonch and Mr. Thornton, to be issued on June
19, 2025, vesting on the third anniversary of the grant date or upon change of control, or as otherwise provided in their employment agreements.
In addition, the Compensation Committee approved a one-time cash payment by the Company as reimbursement for estimated taxes payable with
respect to such equity awards.
Outstanding
Equity Awards
The following table shows grants of equity awards
outstanding on March 31, 2025, the last day of our last completed fiscal year, to each of the Named Executive Officers named in the Summary
Compensation Table. All share numbers and per share data have been adjusted to reflect a 1-for-7 reverse stock split, effective April
1, 2013, a 1-for-5 reverse stock split, effective June 24, 2016, a 1-for-9 reverse stock split, effective June 19, 2019, and a 1-for-20
reverse stock split, effective August 29, 2024.
Name |
Option Awards |
Equity Awards |
Number of Securities Underlying Unexercised Options Exercisable (#) |
Number of Securities
Underlying Unexercised Options Unexercisable (#) |
Equity Incentive Plan Awards: Number of Securities Underlying Unexercised Unearned Options (#) |
Option
Exercise Price ($) |
Option Expiration Date |
Number of shares or units of stock that have not vested (#) |
Market value of shares of units of stock that have not vested ($)(1) |
Equity
incentive
plan awards: Number of
unearned
shares, units or other rights that have not vested (#) |
Equity
incentive
plan awards: Market or payout value of unearned
shares, units or other rights that have not vested ($) |
Amy Trombly |
675 |
0 |
- |
87.20 |
12/31/2029 |
10,000 (2) |
21,900 |
- |
- |
119 |
0 |
- |
91.00 |
1/2/2030 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
1,390 |
0 |
- |
160.60 |
1/7/2031 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
1,501 |
0 |
- |
92.00 |
1/14/2032 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
1,333 |
667 (3) |
- |
21.60 |
12/29/2032 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
1,000 |
2,000 (4) |
|
3.60 |
12/29/2033 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Jerry Dvonch |
1,390 |
0 |
- |
160.60 |
1/7/2031 |
10,000 (2) |
21,900 |
- |
- |
1,501 |
0 |
- |
4.60 |
1/14/2032 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
1,000 |
2,000 (4) |
|
3.60 |
12/29/2033 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Bruce Thornton |
55 |
0 |
- |
1,044.00 |
8/21/2025 |
10,000 (2) |
21,900 |
- |
- |
95 |
0 |
- |
1,238.40 |
4/11/2027 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
650 |
0 |
- |
87.20 |
12/31/2029 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
1,390 |
0 |
- |
160.60 |
1/7/2031 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
1,501 |
0 |
- |
92.00 |
1/14/2032 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
1,333 |
667 (3) |
- |
21.60 |
12/29/2032 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
1,000 |
2,000 (4) |
- |
3.60 |
12/29/2033 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
(1) |
Based on the closing stock price on the Nasdaq Capital Market on the last trading day of the most recently completed fiscal year. |
(2) |
Restricted Stock Units vest on January 2, 2028, or upon change of control. |
(3) |
Options expiring December 29, 2032, vest one third each on December 29, 2023, December 29, 2024 and December 29, 2025, or upon change of control. |
(4) |
Options expiring December 29, 2033, vest one third each on December 29, 2024, December 29, 2025 and December 29, 2026, or upon change of control. |
Narrative
to Outstanding Equity Awards Table
Retirement Benefits
On January 1, 2011,
we established a qualified 401(k) employee savings and retirement plan for all regular full-time U.S. employees. Eligible employees may
elect to defer a percentage of their eligible compensation in the 401(k) plan, subject to the statutorily prescribed annual limit. We
may make matching contributions on behalf of all participants in the 401(k) plan in the amount equal to 4% of an employee’s contributions.
All contributions are immediately fully vested. We intend the 401(k) plan to qualify under Sections 401(k) and 501 of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended, so that contributions by employees or us to the 401(k) plan and income earned, if any, on plan contributions
are not taxable to employees until withdrawn from the 401(k) plan (except as regards Roth contributions), and so that we will be able
to deduct our contributions when made. The trustee of the 401(k) plan, at the direction of each participant, invests the assets of the
401(k) plan in any of a number of investment options. Company contributions to the 401(k) plan amounted to an aggregate of $29,242 and
$31,267 for the years ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
Proposal
No. 2 – Advisory Approval of Executive Compensation
Pursuant to Section 14A of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, we are asking stockholders to cast an advisory vote to approve the compensation on our Named Executive Officers
for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025, as discussed in the section entitled “Executive Compensation” in this Proxy
Statement. While this vote is non-binding, we value the opinions of our stockholders and, consistent with our record of shareholder engagement,
will consider the outcome of the vote when making future compensation decisions. This proposal, commonly known as a “say-on-pay”
proposal, gives you, as a stockholder, the opportunity to endorse the executive compensation programs and policies and the compensation
paid to our Named Executive Officers for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025.
We believe
in the power of open disclosure and know the only way to build and strengthen our reputation and our Company is through honesty and trust.
In connection with that belief and as required by SEC rules, we are asking our stockholders to approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation
that we paid to our Named Executive Officers for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025.
As discussed
under the heading “Compensation Overview” in this Proxy Statement, the Compensation Committee’s compensation
objectives are to: attract and retain highly qualified individuals with a demonstrated record of achievement; reward past performance;
provide incentives for future performance; and align the interests of the Named Executive Officers with the interests of our stockholders.
The Board is asking stockholders to support this proposal based on the disclosure set forth in these sections of this Proxy Statement,
which, among other things, demonstrates:
|
· |
our commitment to ensuring executive compensation is aligned with our corporate strategies and business objectives and is competitive with those of other companies in our industry; |
|
|
|
|
· |
the design of our compensation programs is intended to reward our Named Executive Officers for the achievement of key strategic and financial performance measures by linking short- and long-term cash and equity incentives to the achievement of measurable corporate and individual performance goals; and |
|
|
|
|
· |
our strong emphasis on the alignment of the incentives of our Named Executive Officers with the creation of increased stockholder value. |
|
 |
Your Board of Directors recommends that stockholders vote FOR,
in a non-binding vote, the following resolution:
“RESOLVED, the stockholders of Sonoma Pharmaceuticals, Inc. approve
on an advisory basis, the compensation paid to our Named Executive Officers as disclosed pursuant to the compensation disclosure rules
of the SEC, including the compensation tables and accompanying narrative disclosure under the heading “Executive Compensation”
included in the Proxy Statement.” |
Audit Matters
Report
of the Audit Committee
The Audit Committee
operates under a written charter adopted by the Board of Directors. A copy of the charter is available on our website at http://ir.sonomapharma.com/governance.cfm.
All members of the Audit Committee meet the independence standards established by the Nasdaq Listing Rules. Mr. McLaughlin, the Chair
of the Audit Committee, meets the SEC standard for “audit committee financial expert.”
The Audit Committee
assists the Board of Directors in fulfilling its responsibility to oversee management’s implementation of Sonoma’s financial
reporting process. It is not the duty of the Audit Committee to plan or conduct audits or to determine that the financial statements are
complete and accurate and are in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, or to assess the Company’s internal control
over financial reporting. Management is responsible for the financial statements and the reporting process, including the system of internal
control over financial reporting and disclosure controls. The independent registered public accounting firm is responsible for expressing
an opinion on the conformity of those financial statements with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States.
In discharging
its oversight role, the Audit Committee reviewed and discussed the audited financial statements contained in the 2024 Annual Report with
Sonoma’s management and the independent registered public accounting firm.
The Audit Committee
met privately with the independent registered public accounting firm, and discussed issues deemed significant by the independent registered
public accounting firm, including the matters required to be discussed by the applicable requirements of the PCAOB, or the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board. In addition, the Audit Committee has received the written disclosures and the letter from the independent
registered public accounting firm required by applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding the independent
registered public accounting firm's communications with the Audit Committee concerning independence, and has discussed with the independent
registered public accounting firm the firm’s independence from Sonoma and its management.
The Audit Committee
has discussed with Sonoma’s independent registered public accounting firm, with and without management present, their evaluations
of Sonoma’s internal control over financial reporting and the overall quality of Sonoma’s financial reporting.
In reliance
on the reviews and discussion with management and the independent registered public accounting firm referred to above, the Audit Committee
recommended to the Board of Directors, and the Board approved, the inclusion of the audited financial statements in Sonoma’s Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2025, for filing with the SEC. The Audit Committee has appointed Frazier & Deeter,
LLC to serve as Sonoma’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026.
Audit Committee
Jerry McLaughlin,
Chair
Jay Birnbaum
Philippe Weigerstorfer
Proposal
No. 3 – Ratification of the Appointment of Frazier & Deeter, LLC
The Audit Committee
has appointed Frazier & Deeter, LLC as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025.
The Audit Committee appointed Frazier & Deeter, LLC as our independent registered accounting firm for fiscal year ended March 31,
2024, and such appointment was ratified by our stockholders at our 2023 Annual Meeting on September 28, 2023. We do not expect representatives
from Frazier & Deeter, LLC to be present at the 2024 Annual Meeting. Although stockholder ratification of our independent registered
public accounting firm is not required by our Bylaws or otherwise, we are submitting the selection of Frazier & Deeter, LLC to our
stockholders for ratification to permit stockholders to participate in this important corporate decision.
Principal
Accountant Fees and Services
Frazier & Deeter, LLC has audited our financial
statements since July 5, 2021. Aggregate fees for professional services provided to us by Frazier & Deeter, LLC for the years
ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, were as follows:
|
Years Ended March 31, |
2025 |
2024 |
Audit Fees |
$ |
269,082 |
$ |
327,033 |
Audit-Related Fees |
|
60,500 |
|
35,000 |
Tax Fees |
|
- |
|
20,242 |
All Other Fees |
|
- |
|
- |
Total |
$ |
329,582 |
$ |
382,275 |
Audit fees. The aggregate
fees billed for the years ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, for professional services rendered by our principal independent registered public
accounting firm were for the audit of our annual financial statements, the review of our quarterly financial information filed on Form
10-Q, and the review of our registration statements.
Audit-related fees. Audit-Related
Fees means the aggregate fees paid and payable for the last fiscal year for assurance and related services by the issuer's external auditor
that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of the issuer's financial statements and are not reported above.
Tax fees. Tax fees for
the year ended March 31, 2025 were principally for services related to tax compliance and tax planning.
Audit
Committee Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures
The Audit Committee has established
a policy to pre-approve all audit and permissible non-audit services provided by our independent registered public accounting firm. All
of the services provided during fiscal year 2024 were pre-approved. During the approval process, the Audit Committee considered the impact
of the types of services and the related fees on the independence of the independent registered public accounting firm. The services and
fees were deemed compatible with the maintenance of that firm’s independence, including compliance with rules and regulations of
the SEC. Throughout the year, the Audit Committee will review any revisions to the estimates of audit fees initially estimated for the
current year’s engagement.
Required Vote
Ratification of the appointment of
Frazier & Deeter, LLC requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares present and voting at the Annual Meeting in person
or by proxy. Unless marked to the contrary, proxies received will be voted “FOR” ratification of the appointment. In the event
ratification is not obtained, the Audit Committee will review its future selection of our independent registered public accounting firm
but will not be required to select a different independent registered public accounting firm.
|
 |
Your Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR the
ratification of Frazier & Deeter, LLC as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026. |
Proposal
No. 4 – Adjournment to Solicit Additional Proxies
A proposal
will be submitted to the stockholders at the Annual Meeting to approve the adjournment of the Annual Meeting to establish a quorum or
to solicit additional proxies in the event that there are not sufficient votes at the time of the Annual Meeting to approve the proposals.
Any adjournment of the Annual Meeting may be made without notice, other than by an announcement made at the Annual Meeting. Any adjournment
of the Annual Meeting for the purpose of establishing a quorum or soliciting additional proxies will allow stockholders who have already
sent in their proxies to revoke them at any time prior to the time that the proxies are used.
Required Vote
The affirmative vote of the holders
of a majority of the shares of Common Stock present or represented and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting is required for approval
of this proposal.
|
 |
Your Board of Directors recommends a vote
FOR the approval of the adjournment of the Annual Meeting to establish a quorum or to solicit additional proxies in the
event that there are not sufficient votes at the time of the Annual Meeting. |
Pay
Versus Performance
As required
by Item 402(v) of Regulation S-K, we are providing the following information regarding the relationship between executive compensation
and our financial performance for each of the last two completed calendar years. In determining the “compensation actually
paid” to our Named Executive Officers, or NEOs, we are required to make various adjustments to amounts that have been previously
reported in the Summary Compensation Table in previous years, as the SEC’s valuation methods for this section differ from those
required in the Summary Compensation Table.
Pay Versus
Performance Table
The table below
summarizes compensation values both previously reported in our Summary Compensation Table, as well as the adjusted values required in
this section for fiscal years 2025, 2024 and 2023. Note that for our Named Executive Officers other than our principal executive
officer, compensation is reported as an average.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year |
Summary Compensation Table Total for PEO($)(1)(2) |
Compensation Actually Paid to PEO ($)(1)(2) |
Average Summary Compensation Table Total for Non-PEO Named Executive Officers ($)(1)(3) |
Average Compensation Actually Paid to Non-PEO Named Executive Officers ($)(1)(4) |
Value of Initial Fixed $100 Investment Based on Total Shareholder Return ($)(5) |
Net Loss (in thousands) ($)(6) |
2025 |
597,075 |
553,871 |
444,948 |
406,176 |
$2.73 |
3,457 |
2024 |
726,543 |
697,361 |
483,063 |
468,238 |
$4.15 |
4,835 |
2023 |
559,939 |
509,832 |
299,230 |
239,760 |
$24.35 |
5,151 |
(1) |
During fiscal years 2025, 2024 and 2023 the principal executive
officer, or PEO, was Amy Trombly. During fiscal year 2023, the non-PEO NEOs were Mr. Dvonch, Mr. Thornton and Chad White, our former
Chief Financial Officer. Mr. White served as our Interim Chief Financial Officer from October 3, 2022 to November 18, 2022 and as
our Chief Financial Officer from November 18, 2022 to April 7, 2023. Mr. Dvonch served as our Chief Financial Officer
from September 8, 2020 to November 18, 2022, as our Interim Chief Financial Officer from April 7, 2023 to February 7, 2024, and
currently serves as our Chief Financial Officer. uring fiscal year 2024 and 2025, the non-PEO NEOs were Mr. Dvonch and Mr.
Thornton. |
(2) |
The dollar amounts reported are the amounts of total compensation reported for Ms. Trombly and the average total compensation reported for Non-PEO Named Executive Officers for the applicable fiscal year in the “Total” column of the Summary Compensation Table (SCT). |
(3) |
The following table sets forth the adjustments made to the SCT total for each year represented in the pay versus performance table to arrive at “compensation actually paid” to our PEO, as computed in accordance with Item 402(v) of Regulation S-K: |
| |
2025 | | |
2024 | | |
2023 | |
SCT Total for PEO | |
$ | 597,075 | | |
$ | 726,543 | | |
$ | 559,939 | |
Less: Amount reported under the “Stock Awards” and “Option Awards” columns in the SCT | |
$ | 37,732 | | |
$ | 117,725 | | |
$ | 35,751 | |
Add: Fair value as of fiscal year-end of awards granted during the fiscal year that are outstanding and unvested as of the end of the fiscal year | |
$ | (4,900 | ) | |
$ | 8,202 | | |
$ | 33,414 | |
Add: Change in fair value as of fiscal year-end, compared to prior fiscal year-end, of awards granted in any prior fiscal year that are outstanding and unvested as of the end of the fiscal year | |
$ | (12,416 | ) | |
$ | (26,706 | ) | |
$ | (19,190 | ) |
Add: Fair value as of vest date of awards granted and vested in the fiscal year | |
$ | 10,932 | | |
$ | 109,053 | | |
$ | – | |
Add: Change in fair value as of vesting date, compared to prior fiscal year-end, of awards granted in any prior fiscal year for which all vesting conditions were satisfied at fiscal year-end or during the fiscal year | |
$ | 912 | | |
$ | (2,006 | ) | |
$ | (28,580 | ) |
Less: Forfeitures during fiscal year equal to prior fiscal year-end value | |
$ | – | | |
$ | – | | |
$ | – | |
Total Adjustments | |
$ | (43,204 | ) | |
$ | (29,182 | ) | |
$ | (50,107 | ) |
Compensation Actually Paid to PEO | |
$ | 553,871 | | |
$ | 697,361 | | |
$ | 509,832 | |
(4) |
The following table sets forth the adjustments made to the SCT total for each year represented in the pay versus performance table to arrive at “compensation actually paid” to our non-PEO NEOs, as computed in accordance with Item 402(v) of Regulation S-K: |
| |
2025 | | |
2024 | | |
2023 | |
Average SCT Total for Non-PEO NEOs | |
$ | 444,948 | | |
$ | 483,063 | | |
$ | 299,230 | |
Less: Amount reported under the “Stock Awards” and “Option Awards” columns in the SCT | |
$ | 37,732 | | |
$ | 78,199 | | |
$ | 26,900 | |
Add: Fair value as of fiscal year-end of awards granted during the fiscal year that are outstanding and unvested as of the end of the fiscal year | |
$ | (4,900 | ) | |
$ | 8,202 | | |
$ | 15,138 | |
Add: Fair value as of vest date of awards granted and vested in the fiscal year | |
$ | 10,932 | | |
$ | 69,527 | | |
$ | – | |
Add: Change in fair value as of fiscal year-end, compared to prior fiscal year-end, of awards granted in any prior fiscal year that are outstanding and unvested as of the end of the fiscal year | |
$ | (7,074 | ) | |
$ | (13,352 | ) | |
$ | (12,794 | ) |
Less: Forfeitures during fiscal year equal to prior fiscal year-end value | |
$ | – | | |
$ | – | | |
$ | – | |
Add: Change in fair value as of vesting date, compared to prior fiscal year-end, of awards granted in any prior fiscal year for which all vesting conditions were satisfied at fiscal year-end or during the fiscal year | |
$ | 3 | | |
$ | (1,003 | ) | |
$ | (34,914 | ) |
Total Adjustments | |
$ | (38,772 | ) | |
$ | (14,825 | ) | |
$ | (59,470 | ) |
Average Compensation Actually Paid to Non-PEO NEOs* | |
$ | 406,176 | | |
$ | 468,238 | | |
$ | 239,760 | |
(5) |
The amounts reported represent the measurement period value of an investment of $100 in our stock on March 31, 2022 (the last trading day before the 2022 fiscal year), and then valued again on each of March 31, 2023 (the last trading day of the 2023 fiscal year), March 28, 2024 (the last trading day of the 2024 fiscal year), and March 28, 2025 (the last trading day of the 2025 fiscal year) based on the closing price per share of the Company’s common stock as of such dates and assuming the reinvestment of dividends. |
(6) |
The amounts reported represent net loss for the applicable fiscal year calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States. |
(7) |
Net Loss: The dollar amounts reported represent the amount of net loss reflected in the Company’s audited financial statements for the applicable year. |
* The valuation
assumptions for stock option awards included in Compensation Actually Paid are: (i) the expected life of each stock option, which is determined
using the “simplified method” and which takes into account the average of the remaining vesting period and remaining term
as of the vest or fiscal year end date; (ii) the exercise price and the asset price, which are based on the closing price of our Common
Stock traded on the Nasdaq on the vest and fiscal year end date, respectively; (iii) the risk-free rate, which is based on the Treasury
Constant Maturity rate closest to the remaining expected life as of the vest or fiscal year end date; (iv) historical volatility, which
is based on the daily price history for our Common stock for each expected life period prior to each vest or fiscal year end date; and
(v) the annual dividend yield, which was zero.
Relationship
Between Compensation Actually Paid Amounts and Performance Measures
The charts
below show, for the past three years, the relationship of the PEO and the other non-PEO NEOs compensation “actually paid”
and (i) the Company’s Total Shareholder Return (TSR) and (ii) the Company’s net loss. While the Compensation Committee makes
executive compensation decisions in consideration of a variety of factors, including corporate and individual performance, the decisions
of the Compensation Committee and Board of Directors in 2025, 2024 and 2023 were made independently of these disclosure requirements.


Share
Ownership
Equity
Compensation Plan Information
Pursuant to Item 201(d) of Regulation
S-K, “Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans,” we are providing the following information summarizing
information about our equity compensation plans as of March 31, 2025. All share numbers and per share data have been adjusted to reflect
a 1-for-7 reverse stock split, effective April 1, 2013, a 1-for-5 reverse stock split, effective June 24, 2016, a 1-for-9 reverse stock
split, effective June 19, 2019, and a 1-for-20 reverse stock split, effective August 29, 2024.
Plan Category |
Number of Securities to be issued upon exercise
of
outstanding options and rights |
Weighted average exercise price of
outstanding
options and rights |
Number of Securities remaining available for
future issuance under
equity compensation plans (excluding
securities reflected in column (a)) |
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders |
|
|
|
2006 Plan |
0 |
-- |
0 |
2011 Plan |
3,998 |
294.25 |
0 |
2016 Plan |
38,942 |
30.62 |
9,670 |
2021 Plan |
30,141 |
26.32 |
0 |
2024 Plan |
45,000 |
-- |
5,000 |
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Total |
118,081 |
|
14,670 |
Our Sonoma Pharmaceuticals,
Inc. Amended and Restated 2006 Stock Incentive Plan expired according to its terms on August 25, 2016. No further grants will be made
under the 2006 Stock Incentive Plan. Options issued under the expired 2006 Stock Incentive Plan remain in effect according to the terms
set on the day each option was issued.
Our Sonoma Pharmaceuticals,
Inc. 2011 Stock Incentive Plan expired according to its terms. No further grants will be made under the 2011 Equity Incentive Plan. Options
issued under the expired 2006 Stock Incentive Plan remain in effect according to the terms set on the day each option was issued.
Our Sonoma Pharmaceuticals,
Inc. 2016, 2021 and 2024 Equity Incentive Plans were adopted with the approval of our stockholders, and we have previously provided the
material terms of such plans.
Security
Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners
The following
table sets forth certain information as of June 21, 2024, as to shares of our common stock beneficially owned by: (1) stockholders known
to us who own more than 5%, (2) each of our Named Executive Officers listed in the Summary Compensation Table, (3) each of our current
directors, and (4) all of our directors and executive officers as a group.
We have determined
beneficial ownership in accordance with the rules of the SEC. Except as indicated by the footnotes below, we believe, based on the information
furnished to us, that the persons and entities named in the table below have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares
of common stock that they beneficially own, subject to applicable community property laws.
In computing
the number of shares of common stock beneficially owned by a person and the percentage ownership of that person, we deemed outstanding
shares of common stock subject to options held by that person that are currently exercisable or exercisable upon vesting. We did not
deem these shares outstanding, however, for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of any other person. All share numbers
have been adjusted to reflect a 1-for-7 reverse stock split, effective April 1, 2013, a 1-for-5 reverse stock split, effective June 24,
2016, a 1-for-9 reverse stock split, effective June 19, 2019, and a 1-for-20 reverse stock split, effective August 29, 2024.
Officers and Directors
Name and address
of beneficial owner (1) |
Nature of beneficial ownership |
Amount of Beneficial Ownership |
Percent of
Shares
Beneficially
Owned (3) |
Shares
Owned |
Shares – Includes
all Rights
to
Acquire
(2) |
Total |
Amy Trombly (4) |
Chief Executive Officer |
7,679 |
6,018 |
13,697 |
1.0% |
Jerry Dvonch (5) |
Chief Financial Officer |
4,229 |
3,891 |
8,120 |
* |
Bruce Thornton (7) |
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer |
7,720 |
6,024 |
13,744 |
1.0% |
Jerry McLaughlin (8) |
Lead Independent Director |
270 |
2,198 |
2,468 |
* |
Philippe Weigerstorfer (9) |
Director |
-- |
2,293 |
2,293 |
* |
Jay Birnbaum (10) |
Director |
286 |
2,188 |
2,474 |
* |
All directors and executive officers as a group
(6 persons) |
403,745 |
20,184 |
22,612 |
42,796 |
*Indicates ownership of less than 1.0%
(1) |
Unless otherwise stated, the address of each beneficial owner listed in the table is c/o Sonoma Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 5445 Conestoga Court, Suite 150, Boulder, CO 80301. |
(2) |
Represents shares subject to outstanding stock options and warrants currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days. |
(3) |
We had total shares of common stock issued and outstanding of 1,642,765 on July 8, 2025. |
(4) |
Ms. Trombly has been our Chief Executive Officer since September 27, 2019. She beneficially owns 7,679 shares of common stock and 6,018 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days. |
(5) |
Mr. Dvonch served as our Chief Financial Officer from September 8, 2020 to November 18, 2022, as our Interim Chief Financial Officer from April 7, 2023 to February 7, 2024, and currently serves as our Chief Financial Officer. He beneficially owns 4,229 shares of common stock, and 3,891 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days. |
(7) |
Mr. Thornton is our Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. He beneficially owns 7,720 shares of common stock and 6,024 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days. |
(8) |
Mr. McLaughlin is a member of our Board of Directors and was appointed as Lead Independent Director on March 26, 2014. He beneficially owns 270 shares of common stock and 2,198 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days. |
(9) |
Mr. Weigerstorfer is a member of our Board of Directors. He beneficially owns 125 shares of common stock, yet to be issued and 2,168 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days. |
(10) |
Dr. Birnbaum is a member of our Board of Directors. He beneficially owns 286 shares of common stock and 2,188 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days. |
As of March 31,
2025, there are no arrangements among our beneficial owners, known to management, which may result in a change of control of our Company.
Clawback Policy
Pursuant to Nasdaq listing requirements, we have adopted a policy providing
for the recovery of erroneously awarded incentive-based compensation received by our executive officers or the executive officers of one
of our subsidiaries during an applicable recovery period (the “Clawback Policy”). Under the Clawback Policy, in the event
that financial results upon which a cash or equity-based incentive award was based becomes the subject of a financial restatement that
is required because of material non-compliance with financial reporting requirements, the Compensation Committee will conduct a review
of awards covered by the Clawback Policy and recoup any erroneously awarded incentive-based compensation to ensure that the ultimate award
reflects the financial results as restated. The Clawback Policy covers any cash or equity-based incentive compensation award that was
paid, earned or granted to covered executive officers during the last completed three fiscal years immediately preceding the date on which
we are required to prepare the accounting restatement.
Timing of Equity Awards
While we have no set policy or practice regarding the timing of
stock option awards or similar instruments in relation to the disclosure of material nonpublic information, we do not time the release
of material information to affect the value of stock options. In general, the timing of stock option awards is dictated by the
event or circumstance giving rise to the award and the schedules of the directors responsible for approving the award. In fiscal
year 2025, options were not issued to our named executive officers during the period beginning four business days before and ending one
business day after the filing of a Form 10-Q, Form 10-K or Form 8-K that discloses material nonpublic information. If, in the future,
a stock option grant is made at a time that material nonpublic information exists, the directors approving the award would be responsible
for considering the anticipated effect of that information on our stock price and would take such effect into account when sizing and
pricing the award.
Delinquent
Section 16(a) Reports
Section 16(a)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 requires our executive officers and directors, and persons who own more than 10% of a registered
class of our equity securities, to file reports of ownership on Forms 3, 4, and 5 with the SEC. Officers, directors and greater than 10%
stockholders are required to furnish us with copies of all Forms 3, 4, and 5 they file. Based solely on a review of copies of such reports
furnished to us by our officers and directors, we believe that, during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, no person required to file
reports under Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 failed to file such reports on a timely basis during such fiscal year.
Forward-Looking
Statements Disclaimer
Forward-looking
statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those projected. These
risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to the risks described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K available at www.sec.gov.
The words “may,” “will,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,”
“intend,” “plan,” “aim,” “seek,” “should,” “likely,” and similar
expressions as they relate to us or our management are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. All statements by us regarding
our expected financial position, revenues, cash flows and other operating results, business strategy, and similar matters are forward
looking statements. Our expectations expressed or implied in these forward-looking statements may not turn out to be correct. Any forward-looking
statement speaks only as of the date as of which such statement is made, and, except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to
update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances, including unanticipated events, after the date as of which such
statement was made.
General
Information
Below you will find general information
on Stockholder Proposals, “Householding” of Proxy Materials, and more specific instructions on how to vote, which can be found
on your proxy voting card.
Stockholder
Proposals and Additional Information
There are no stockholder proposals
for the 2025 Annual Meeting. If you would like information on submitting a stockholder proposal to be included in the proxy and Annual
Meeting, please refer to the information below.
How do I submit a Stockholder Proposal to be
Included in
the Proxy Statement?
You must submit your proposal to our Secretary
no later than 120 calendar days before the anniversary of our 2025 Annual Proxy Statement publication. This is to comply with Rule 14a-8
under the 1934 Act.
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Who Presents the Proposal at the Meeting?
The Stockholder proponent, or a representative
who is qualified under state law, must appear in person at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to present the proposal.
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What if the date of the 2025 Annual Meeting is significantly
different?
If the date of the Annual Meeting is changed by more than 30 days, the proposal must be submitted to our Secretary by the close of business on the later of:
· 90 days prior to the Annual Meeting, or
· 7 days following the first public announcement of the Annual Meeting date. |
|
How Should I Send my Proposal?
Please send your proposal to our Secretary at:
Sonoma Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 5445 Conestoga Court, Suite 150 Boulder, Colorado 80301
We strongly suggest that proposals are sent by Certified Mail – Return Receipt Requested. |
What Must be Included in My Notice that I send to the Secretary? |
|
1. |
A brief description of the proposed business |
|
2. |
The text of the proposal |
|
3. |
Reasons for conducting the business at the meeting |
|
4. |
Name and address (as they appear on our books) of the stockholder proposing such business |
|
5. |
The beneficial owner (if any) on whose behalf the proposal is made |
|
6. |
Any material interest of the stockholder in such business |
|
7. |
Any other information required by proxy proposal submission rules of the SEC |
“Householding”
of Proxy Materials
The SEC has adopted rules that permit companies
and intermediaries, such as brokers, to satisfy delivery requirements for proxy statements with respect to two or more stockholders sharing
the same address by delivering a single proxy statement addressed to those stockholders. This process, which is commonly referred to as
‘‘householding,’’ potentially provides extra convenience for stockholders and cost savings for us. Under this
procedure, multiple stockholders who share the same last name and address will receive only one copy of the annual proxy materials, unless
they notify us that they wish to continue receiving multiple copies. We have undertaken householding to reduce our printing costs and
postage fees.
If you wish to opt-out of householding and continue
to receive multiple copies of the proxy materials at the same address, you may do so at any time prior to thirty days before the mailing
of proxy materials, which will typically be mailed in August of each year, by notifying us in writing at: Secretary, Sonoma Pharmaceuticals,
Inc., 5445 Conestoga Court, Boulder, Colorado 80301, or by contacting us at (800) 759-9305. You also may request additional copies of
the proxy materials by notifying us in writing at the same address or contacting us at (800) 759-9305, and we will undertake to deliver
such additional copies promptly. If you share an address with another stockholder and currently are receiving multiple copies of the proxy
materials, you may request householding by notifying us at the above referenced address or telephone number.
Other
Matters
Your Board of Directors does not know of any other
business that will be presented at the Annual Meeting. If any other business is properly brought before the 2024 Annual Meeting, your
proxy holders will vote on it as they think best unless you direct them otherwise in your proxy instructions.
Whether or not you intend to be present at the
Annual Meeting, we urge you to submit your signed proxy promptly.
By Order of the Board of Directors.

Bruce Thornton
Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Corporate
Secretary
Boulder, Colorado
July 11, 2025
Our 2025 Annual Report on Form 10-K
as filed with the SEC on June 17, 2025, including the financial statements, are available at www.envisionreports.com/SNOA and our Company
website at www.ir.sonomapharma.com/financial-information. We will provide copies of our Proxy Statement and our 2025 Annual Report free
of charge upon request. We will also provide copies of exhibits to our 2025 Annual Report, but will charge a reasonable fee per page to
any requesting stockholder. Stockholders may make such requests in writing to Secretary, Sonoma Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 5445 Conestoga
Court, Suite 150, Boulder, Colorado 80301. The request must include a representation by the stockholder that as of July 8, 2025, the stockholder
was entitled to vote at the 2025 Annual Meeting.
Thank you for being a shareowner of
Sonoma Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Learn more at http://sonomapharma.com
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Our 2025 Proxy Statement |
Our 2025 Annual Report |
Our Company Website |
Our Nasdaq Listing |
Appendix A
Proxy Card

