SANDISK CORP
DEF 14A, 1997-03-13
COMPUTER STORAGE DEVICES
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                               SANDISK CORPORATION
                                140 Caspian Court
                           Sunnyvale, California 94089



Dear Stockholder:

         You are cordially  invited to attend the Annual Meeting of Stockholders
(the "Annual Meeting") of SanDisk Corporation (the "Company") which will be held
on April 18, 1997,  at 9:00 a.m.,  at the  Company's  headquarters,  140 Caspian
Court, Sunnyvale, California 94089.

         At the Annual Meeting,  you will be asked to consider and vote upon the
following  proposals:  (i) to elect seven (7) directors of the Company,  (ii) to
approve a series of amendments to the Company's 1995 Stock Option Plan, (iii) to
approve a series of  amendments  to the Company's  1995  Non-Employee  Directors
Stock Option Plan, (iv) to approve a 450,000 share increase to the reserve under
the Company's  Employee Stock Purchase Plan and (v) to ratify the appointment of
Ernst & Young LLP as independent  accountants of the Company for the fiscal year
ending December 28, 1997.

         The enclosed Proxy  Statement  more fully  describes the details of the
business to be conducted at the Annual Meeting. After careful consideration, the
Company's  Board  of  Directors  has  unanimously  approved  the  proposals  and
recommends that you vote FOR each such proposal.

         After reading the Proxy  Statement,  please mark, date, sign and return
the  enclosed  proxy card in the  accompanying  reply  envelope  as  promptly as
possible  but no later than April 18,  1997.  If you decide to attend the Annual
Meeting and would prefer to vote in person,  please  notify the Secretary of the
Company  that you wish to vote in person and your proxy will not be voted.  YOUR
SHARES  CANNOT BE VOTED UNLESS YOU SIGN,  DATE AND RETURN THE ENCLOSED  PROXY OR
ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING IN PERSON.

         A copy of the Company's 1996 Annual Report has been mailed concurrently
herewith  to all  stockholders  entitled  to notice of and to vote at the Annual
Meeting.

         We look forward to seeing you at the Annual Meeting.

                                         Sincerely yours,


                                         /s/ Eli Harari

                                         Eli Harari
                                         President and Chief Executive Officer

Sunnyvale, California
March 12 , 1997


- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    IMPORTANT

PLEASE  MARK,  DATE AND SIGN THE ENCLOSED  PROXY AND RETURN IT AT YOUR  EARLIEST
CONVENIENCE IN THE ENCLOSED  POSTAGE-PREPAID  RETURN ENVELOPE SO THAT IF YOU ARE
UNABLE TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING, YOUR SHARES MAY BE VOTED.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------


<PAGE>




                               SANDISK CORPORATION
                                140 Caspian Court
                           Sunnyvale, California 94089

                    NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
                            TO BE HELD APRIL 18, 1997

TO OUR STOCKHOLDERS:

         You are cordially  invited to attend the Annual Meeting of Stockholders
(the  "Annual  Meeting") of SanDisk  Corporation,  a Delaware  corporation  (the
"Company"),  to be held on April  18,  1997 at 9:00  a.m.,  local  time,  at the
Company's headquarters, 140 Caspian Court, Sunnyvale,  California 94089, for the
following purposes:

         1. To elect  directors  to serve for the  ensuing  year or until  their
         respective successors are duly elected and qualified.  The nominees are
         Dr. Eli Harari, Irwin Federman, William V. Campbell, Catherine P. Lego,
         Dr. James D. Meindl, Joseph Rizzi and Alan F. Shugart.
             
         2. To approve a series of amendments to the Company's 1995 Stock Option
         Plan (the "Stock Option Plan").
             
         3. To approve a series of amendments to the Company's 1995 Non-Employee
         Directors Stock Option Plan (the "Directors Plan").
             
         4. To  approve  a  450,000  share  increase  to the  reserve  under the
         Company's Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the "Purchase Plan").
             
         5. To  ratify  the  appointment  of  Ernst & Young  LLP as  independent
         accountants  of the Company for the fiscal  year  ending  December  28,
         1997.
             
         6. To  transact  such other  business as may  properly  come before the
         meeting or any adjournment thereof.

         The foregoing  items of business are more fully  described in the Proxy
Statement that accompanies this Notice.

         Only  stockholders  of record at the close of business on February  28,
1997 are  entitled  to notice of and to vote at the  Annual  Meeting  and at any
continuation or adjournment thereof.

         All  stockholders  are cordially  invited and  encouraged to attend the
Annual  Meeting.  In any event,  to assure your  representation  at the meeting,
please  carefully read the  accompanying  Proxy  Statement  which  describes the
matters  to be voted on at the  Annual  Meeting  and sign,  date and  return the
enclosed proxy card in the reply envelope provided. Should you receive more than
one proxy because your shares are  registered in different  names and addresses,
each proxy  should be returned to assure that all your shares will be voted.  If
you  attend the Annual  Meeting  and vote by ballot,  your proxy will be revoked
automatically  and only your vote at the Annual  Meeting  will be  counted.  The
prompt  return of your proxy  card will  assist us in  preparing  for the Annual
Meeting.

         We look forward to seeing you at the Annual Meeting.

                               BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS


                               /s/ Cindy Burgdorf

                               CINDY BURGDORF
                               Chief Financial  Officer,  Senior Vice President,
                               Finance and Administration and Secretary
                                                     
Sunnyvale, California
March 12, 1997

         ALL STOCKHOLDERS ARE CORDIALLY  INVITED TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING IN
PERSON. IN ANY EVENT, TO ENSURE YOUR  REPRESENTATION AT THE ANNUAL MEETING,  YOU
ARE URGED TO VOTE, SIGN AND RETURN THE ENCLOSED PROXY AS PROMPTLY AS POSSIBLE IN
THE POSTAGE-PREPAID ENVELOPE ENCLOSED FOR THAT PURPOSE.


<PAGE>



                                 PROXY STATEMENT


                    FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS OF
                               SANDISK CORPORATION
                            TO BE HELD APRIL 18, 1997



                                     GENERAL

         This Proxy Statement is furnished in connection  with the  solicitation
by the Board of Directors of SanDisk  Corporation,  a Delaware  corporation (the
"Company"  or  "SanDisk"),  of  proxies  to be voted at the  Annual  Meeting  of
Stockholders  (the "Annual  Meeting")  to be held on April 18,  1997,  or at any
adjournment  or  postponement  thereof,  for  the  purposes  set  forth  in  the
accompanying Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Stockholders of record on
February  28, 1997 will be entitled  to vote at the Annual  Meeting.  The Annual
Meeting  will be held at 9:00 a.m. at the  Company's  headquarters,  140 Caspian
Court, Sunnyvale, California 94089.

         It is anticipated that this Proxy Statement and the enclosed proxy card
will be first mailed to stockholders on or about March 14, 1997.

                                  VOTING RIGHTS

         The close of  business  on  February  28,  1997 was the record date for
stockholders  entitled  to notice of and to vote at the Annual  Meeting  and any
adjournments  thereof.  At  the  record  date,  the  Company  had  approximately
22,457,713  shares of its Common Stock  outstanding  and entitled to vote at the
Annual Meeting, held by approximately 273 stockholders.  Holders of Common Stock
are entitled to one vote for each share of Common Stock so held. In the election
of Directors,  however,  cumulative voting is authorized for all stockholders if
any stockholder gives notice at the meeting, prior to voting for the election of
Directors, of his or her intention to cumulate votes. Under cumulative voting, a
stockholder  may cumulate  votes and give to one nominee a number of votes equal
to the number of Directors to be elected  (seven at this meeting)  multiplied by
the number of votes to which such  stockholder  is entitled,  or may  distribute
such number among any or all of the nominees. The seven candidates receiving the
highest  number of votes will be elected.  The Board of Directors is  soliciting
discretionary  authority to vote proxies cumulatively.  A majority of the shares
of Common Stock entitled to vote will constitute a quorum for the transaction of
business at the Annual Meeting.

         If any  stockholder  is unable  to  attend  the  Annual  Meeting,  such
stockholder may vote by proxy.  The enclosed proxy is solicited by the Company's
Board of  Directors,  (the "Board of  Directors"  or the "Board")  and, when the
proxy card is returned properly  completed,  it will be voted as directed by the
stockholder on the proxy card.  Stockholders  are urged to specify their choices
on the  enclosed  proxy  card.  If a proxy card is signed and  returned  without
choices specified, in the absence of contrary instructions, the shares of Common
Stock represented by such proxy will be voted FOR Proposals 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 and
will be voted in the proxy  holders'  discretion  as to other  matters  that may
properly come before the Annual Meeting.

         An affirmative  vote of a majority of the shares present or represented
at the meeting and  entitled to vote is required for approval of each item being
submitted to the  stockholders  for their  consideration.  An  automated  system
administered  by the  Company's  transfer  agent  tabulates  stockholder  votes.
Abstentions and broker  non-votes each are included in determining the number of
shares present and voting at the Annual Meeting for purposes of determining  the
presence or absence of a quorum, and each is tabulated  separately.  Abstentions
are counted as negative  votes,  whereas  broker  non-votes  are not counted for
purposes  of  determining  whether  Proposals  1,  2,  3,  4 or 5  presented  to
stockholders have been approved.

                                       1.
<PAGE>


                             REVOCABILITY OF PROXIES

         Any person giving a proxy has the power to revoke it at any time before
its exercise. A proxy may be revoked by filing with the Secretary of the Company
an instrument of revocation or a duly executed proxy bearing a later date, or by
attending the Annual Meeting and voting in person.

                             SOLICITATION OF PROXIES

         The  Company  will  bear  the cost of  soliciting  proxies.  Copies  of
solicitation  material will be furnished to brokerage houses,  fiduciaries,  and
custodians  holding shares in their names that are beneficially  owned by others
to forward to such beneficial owners. The Company may reimburse such persons for
their costs of forwarding the solicitation  material to such beneficial  owners.
The original solicitation of proxies by mail may be supplemented by solicitation
by  telephone,  telegram,  or other means by directors,  officers,  employees or
agents  of the  Company.  No  additional  compensation  will be  paid  to  these
individuals for any such services.  Except as described  above, the Company does
not intend to solicit proxies other than by mail.

         THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COMPANY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 29,
1996,  HAS BEEN  MAILED  CONCURRENTLY  WITH THE  MAILING OF THE NOTICE OF ANNUAL
MEETING AND PROXY  STATEMENT  TO ALL  STOCKHOLDERS  ENTITLED TO NOTICE OF AND TO
VOTE AT THE ANNUAL  MEETING.  THE ANNUAL  REPORT IS NOT  INCORPORATED  INTO THIS
PROXY STATEMENT AND IS NOT CONSIDERED PROXY SOLICITING MATERIAL.

                                       2.
<PAGE>


                       -----------------------------------

                                 PROPOSAL NO. 1:

                              ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

                       -----------------------------------



         At the Annual Meeting, seven directors  (constituting the entire board)
are to be elected to serve until the next  Annual  Meeting of  Stockholders  and
until a  successor  for such  director is elected  and  qualified,  or until the
death, resignation, or removal of such director. It is intended that the proxies
will be voted for the seven  nominees  named below for election to the Company's
Board of  Directors  unless  authority to vote for any such nominee is withheld.
There are seven  nominees,  each of whom is currently a director of the Company.
All of the current  directors were elected to the Board by the  stockholders  at
the last annual meeting.  Each person nominated for election has agreed to serve
if elected, and the Board of Directors has no reason to believe that any nominee
will be unavailable or will decline to serve.  In the event,  however,  that any
nominee is unable or  declines  to serve as a director at the time of the Annual
Meeting,  the proxies  will be voted for any nominee  who is  designated  by the
current Board of Directors to fill the vacancy. Unless otherwise instructed, the
proxyholders  will vote the  proxies  received  by them for the  nominees  named
below.  The seven  candidates  receiving the highest  number of the  affirmative
votes of the  shares  entitled  to vote at the  Annual  Meeting  will be elected
directors of the Company.  The proxies solicited by this Proxy Statement may not
be voted for more than seven nominees.

                                    NOMINEES

         Set forth below is  information  regarding the nominees to the Board of
Directors.

Name                          Position(s) with the          Age   First Elected
                                    Company                          Director

Dr. Eli Harari ............   President, Chief Executive     51       1988
                              Officer and Director
Irwin Federman(1)..........   Chairman of the Board          61       1988
William V. Campbell(2).....   Director                       56       1993
Catherine P. Lego(1).......   Director                       40       1989
Dr. James D. Meindl........   Director                       63       1989
Joseph Rizzi...............   Director                       54       1992
Alan F. Shugart(2).........   Director                       66       1993


         (1)      Member of the Audit Committee
         (2)      Member of the Compensation Committee


                                       3.
<PAGE>



            BUSINESS EXPERIENCE OF NOMINEES FOR ELECTION AS DIRECTORS



         Dr. Harari, the founder of the Company, has served as the President and
Chief  Executive  Officer and as a director of the Company since June 1988.  Dr.
Harari founded Wafer Scale Integration,  a privately held semiconductor company,
in 1983 and was its President and Chief Executive Officer from 1983 to 1986, and
Chairman and Chief  Technical  Officer from 1986 to 1988. From 1973 to 1983, Dr.
Harari held various  management  positions with Honeywell Inc., Intel and Hughes
Aircraft  Microelectronics.  Dr.  Harari  holds a Ph.D.  degree  in Solid  State
Sciences from Princeton University.

         Mr.  Federman  has served as Chairman of the Board of  Directors  since
September  1988.  Since April 1990, Mr.  Federman has been a general  partner in
U.S.  Venture  Partners,  a venture  capital  firm.  From 1988 to 1990, he was a
Managing  Director of Dillon  Read & Co.,  an  investment  banking  firm,  and a
general partner in its venture capital affiliate,  Concord Partners. From August
1987 to December  1987,  Mr.  Federman was Vice Chairman of AMD,  which acquired
Monolithic  Memories,  a  corporation  engaged in the  production  of integrated
circuits,  with which he was  affiliated  for 16 years.  From 1979 to 1987,  Mr.
Federman was President of Monolithic  Memories.  Mr. Federman served as Chairman
of the  Semiconductor  Industry  Association  from  1986 to  1988.  He is also a
director   of  Komag   Incorporated,   Western   Digital   Corporation,   TelCom
Semiconductor,  Inc., Checkpoint Software Technologies, Ltd. and various private
corporations. Mr. Federman holds a B.S. degree from Brooklyn College.

         Mr.  Campbell  has served as a director  of the Company  since  October
1993. Mr. Campbell has been President and Chief Executive Officer and a director
of Intuit Inc. since April 1994.  From 1991 to 1993, Mr.  Campbell was President
and Chief Executive Officer of GO Corporation,  a pen-based  computing  software
company.  From 1987 to 1991,  Mr.  Campbell was  President  and Chief  Executive
Officer of Claris Corporation,  a software subsidiary of Apple Computer Inc. Mr.
Campbell holds both B.A. and M.A. degrees in Economics from Columbia University.

         Ms. Lego has served as a director of the Company since March 1989.  Ms.
Lego has been self-employed with her consulting firm, Lego Ventures, since 1992.
From 1981 to 1992, Ms. Lego held various positions with Oak Investment Partners,
a venture capital firm and was general partner of several of the venture capital
partnerships  affiliated with Oak Investment Partners. Ms. Lego also serves as a
director  of Etec  Corporation,  Uniphase  Corporation,  Zitel  Corporation  and
various  private  corporations.  Ms. Lego is a Certified  Public  Accountant and
holds a B.A.  degree in Economics and Biology from Williams  College and an M.S.
degree in Accounting from the New York University Graduate School of Business.

         Dr.  Meindl has served as a director of the  Company  since March 1989.
Dr. Meindl has been the Joseph M. Pettit Chair Professor of  Microelectronics at
the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia since 1993. From 1986 to
1993,  Dr.  Meindl  served as Senior Vice  President  for  Academic  Affairs and
Provost of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.  From 1967 to 1986, he was the John
M. Fluke Professor of Electrical Engineering at Stanford University.  Dr. Meindl
serves as a director of Zoran,  Inc.  and Digital  Microwave.  Dr.  Meindl holds
B.S.,  M.S. and Ph.D.  degrees in Electrical  Engineering  from  Carnegie-Mellon
University.

         Mr. Rizzi has served as a director of the Company since  February 1992.
Mr. Rizzi has been a general partner of Matrix II L.P. and Matrix III L.P. since
1986. From 1979 to 1986, Mr. Rizzi was Chief Executive Officer of ELXSI Inc., of
which is he is a founder.  From 1969 to 1978,  Mr.  Rizzi was Vice  President of
Intersil Inc., of which he is a founder.  Mr. Rizzi also serves as a director of
Veritas  Software,  Inc. and Overland  Data,  Inc. Mr. Rizzi holds B.S. and M.S.
degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of New Hampshire.

         Mr. Shugart has served as a director of the Company since January 1993.
Mr. Shugart has served as Chief Executive Officer of Seagate since its inception
in 1979,  President of Seagate since September 1991 and Chairman of the Board of
Directors of Seagate since October 1992. He also served as Chairman of the Board
of  Directors  of Seagate  from its  inception  until  September  1991 and Chief
Operating  Officer of Seagate from  September 1991 to March 1995. Mr. Shugart is
also a director of Valence  Technology,  Inc. Mr. Shugart holds a B.S. degree in
Engineering/Physics from the University of Redlands.

                                       4.
<PAGE>


                          BOARD MEETINGS AND COMMITTEES

         The Board of Directors held five (5) meetings  during fiscal 1996. Each
member of the Board of Directors  during fiscal 1996 attended or participated in
more than  seventy-five  percent (75%) or more of the aggregate of (i) the total
number of  meetings  of the Board of  Directors  held during the fiscal year and
(ii) the total number of meetings held by all  committees on which such director
served during the past fiscal year,  except Mr.  Campbell  (who  attended  fifty
percent  (50%  of  such  meetings).  There  are no  family  relationships  among
executive  officers or directors of the Company.  The Board of Directors  has an
Audit Committee and a Compensation Committee.

         The Audit  Committee of the Board of Directors  held one meeting during
fiscal 1996.  The Audit  Committee,  which is  currently  comprised of Directors
Federman  and  Lego,   recommends   engagement  of  the  Company's   independent
accountants,  approves  services  performed by such  accountants and reviews and
evaluates the Company's accounting system and its system of internal controls.

         The  Compensation  Committee  of the  Board  of  Directors  held  three
meetings during fiscal 1996 and approved grants of options by written consent on
a monthly basis.  The  Compensation  Committee,  which is comprised of Directors
Campbell and Shugart, has overall  responsibility for the Company's compensation
policies and  determines  the  compensation  payable to the Company's  executive
officers,  including their  participation  in certain of the Company's  employee
benefit and stock option plans.

                              DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

         Board  members do not  receive  compensation  for their  services  as a
director.  Board  members are also not  compensated  for their  service on Board
committees  or  their   performance  of  special   assignments.   However,   the
non-employee  Board members are eligible to receive periodic option grants under
the 1995  Non-Employee  Directors Stock Option Plan (the  "Directors  Plan.") In
addition,  Dr.  Meindl is paid  $10,000  per annum in his  capacities  as Senior
Technical advisor to the Company,  and Ms. Lego is paid $10,000 per annum in her
capacity as Financial Advisor to the Company.

         Under  the  Directors  Plan,  each  individual  who  was  serving  as a
non-employee  Board  member  on the  November  7,  1995  effective  date  of the
Directors  Plan and who had not  previously  received  an option  grant from the
Company  received  an option  grant for  16,000  shares of Common  Stock with an
exercise  price of $10.00  per  share,  the price per share at which the  Common
Stock was sold in the initial public  offering on that date. Each individual who
first  becomes a  non-employee  Board member at any time after  November 7, 1995
will receive a similar  16,000  share  option grant on the date such  individual
joins the Board,  provided such individual has not been  previously  employed by
the  Company.  In  addition,  on the date of each Annual  Stockholders  Meeting,
beginning with the 1996 Annual  Meeting,  each  individual who is to continue to
serve as a non-employee  Board member,  whether or not that  individual has been
previously  employed by the  Company,  will  receive an option grant to purchase
4,000  shares  of  Common  Stock,  provided  such  individual  has  served  as a
non-employee Board member for at least six months. Messrs.  Federman,  Rizzi and
Shugart each  received an option grant for 16,000 shares on the November 7, 1995
effective date of the Directors Plan. Each of the following  non-employee  Board
members received an option grant for 4,000 shares on April 24, 1996, the date of
the 1996 Annual Shareholders Meeting, at an exercise price of $13.375 per share:
Messrs. Federman, Campbell, Meindl, Rizzi and Shugart and Ms. Lego.

         Each automatic grant will have an exercise price per share equal to the
fair  market  value per share of Common  Stock on the grant date and will have a
maximum  term  of  10  years,  subject  to  earlier  termination  following  the
optionee's cessation of Board service. Each automatic option will be immediately
exercisable for any or all of the option shares;  however,  any shares purchased
under the option will be subject to  repurchase  by the  Company,  at the option
exercise  price paid per share,  should the  optionee  cease  service as a Board
member  prior to vesting in those  shares.  The shares  subject to each  initial
16,000 share grant will vest in four successive equal annual  installments  over
the optionee's period of Board service,  with the first installment to vest upon
the Board  member's  completion of one year of Board  service  measured from the
grant  date.  The shares  subject to each 4,000  share  grant will vest upon the
optionee's completion of one year of Board service measured from the grant date.
However,  the shares subject to each  outstanding  option will  immediately vest
upon 

                                       5.
<PAGE>


(i) certain  changes in the ownership or control of the Company or (ii) the
death or disability of the optionee while serving as a Board member. For further
information  concerning  the  Directors  Plan and the  option  grants to be made
thereunder,  please see the summary  description  of the terms of the  Directors
Plan in Proposal 3 of this Proxy Statement.

         THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS  RECOMMENDS THAT  STOCKHOLDERS VOTE FOR ELECTION
OF ALL OF THE ABOVE NOMINEES FOR ELECTION AS DIRECTORS.

                                       6.
<PAGE>



                     ---------------------------------------

                                 PROPOSAL NO. 2:

                             APPROVAL OF AMENDMENTS
                          TO THE 1995 STOCK OPTION PLAN
                                         
                    ----------------------------------------



         The  Company's   stockholders   are  being  asked  to  approve  several
amendments to the Company's 1995 Stock Option Plan (the "Option Plan") that will
(i)  increase  the  maximum  number of shares of  Common  Stock  authorized  for
issuance  over the term of the Option Plan from  3,498,711  shares to  5,998,711
shares, (ii) render non-employee Board members eligible to receive option grants
under the Option Plan,  (iii) allow unvested shares issued under the Option Plan
and  subsequently  repurchased by the Company at the option  exercise price paid
per  share to be  reissued  under  the  Option  Plan,  and (iv)  remove  certain
restrictions on the  eligibility of non-employee  Board members to serve as Plan
Administrator and effect a series of additional changes to the provisions of the
Option  Plan  (including  stockholder  approval  requirements)  in order to take
advantage of the recent amendments to Rule 16b-3 of the Securities  Exchange Act
of 1934  (the  "Exchange  Act")  which  exempts  certain  officer  and  director
transactions under the Option Plan from the short-swing  liability provisions of
the federal securities laws.

         The  increase  to the Option  Plan share  reserve is designed to assure
that a sufficient  reserve of Common Stock is available under the Option Plan to
attract and retain the services of key  individuals  essential to the  Company's
long-term  growth  and  success.  The  other  amendments  will  facilitate  plan
administration  and enhance the equity  incentives  available under the Plan for
non-employee Board members.

         The Option Plan was adopted by the Board on July 25, 1995, and approved
by the Company's  stockholders in August 1995. The Option Plan became  effective
on  November  7, 1995 in  connection  with the  initial  public  offering of the
Company's  Common  Stock.  Initially,  3,498,711  shares  of Common  Stock  were
reserved  for  issuance  under the Option  Plan.  The changes to the Option Plan
effected by the  amendments  which are the subject of this Proposal were adopted
by the Board on February 10, 1997.

         The  following  is a summary of the  principal  features  of the Option
Plan, together with the applicable tax and accounting  implications,  which will
be in  effect  if  the  amendments  to  the  Option  Plan  are  approved  by the
stockholders. However, the summary does not purport to be a complete description
of all the  provisions of the Option Plan.  Any  stockholder  of the Company who
wishes to  obtain a copy of the  actual  plan  document  may do so upon  written
request to the Corporate  Secretary at the Company's principal executive offices
in Sunnyvale, California.

Administration

         The Option Plan is  administered by the  Compensation  Committee of the
Board. The Compensation  Committee acting in such  administrative  capacity (the
"Plan  Administrator") has complete discretion (subject to the provisions of the
Option Plan) to authorize option grants under the Option Plan.

Share Reserve

         A total of  5,998,711  shares of Common  Stock  has been  reserved  for
issuance  over the  ten-year  term of the Option  Plan.  In no event may any one
participant  in  the  Option  Plan  be  granted  stock  options  and  separately
exercisable  stock  appreciation  rights for more than  1,000,000  shares in the
aggregate under the Option Plan.

                                       7.
<PAGE>

         In the event any  change  is made to the  outstanding  shares of Common
Stock  by  reason  of  any  recapitalization,   stock  dividend,   stock  split,
combination of shares, exchange of shares or other change in corporate structure
effected without the Company's receipt of consideration, appropriate adjustments
will be made to (i) the maximum  number and class of securities  issuable  under
the Option Plan,  (ii) the maximum  number and class of securities for which any
one participant may be granted stock options and separately  excercisable  stock
appreciation  rights  under the Option  Plan,  and (iii) the number and class of
securities  and the exercise  price per share in effect  under each  outstanding
option.

         Should an option  expire or terminate  for any reason prior to exercise
in full,  the shares  subject to the portion of the option not so exercised will
be available for  subsequent  issuance  under the Option Plan.  Unvested  shares
issued under the Option Plan and subsequently  repurchased by the Company at the
original option price paid per share will be added back to the share reserve and
will  accordingly  be available for subsequent  issuance under the Plan.  Shares
subject to any option  surrendered  in  accordance  with the stock  appreciation
right  provisions  of the  Option  Plan  will not be  available  for  subsequent
issuance.

Eligibility

         Employees of the Company and its parent and  subsidiaries  (whether now
existing or subsequently established),  non-employee members of the Board or the
board of  directors  of any  parent or  subsidiary,  and  consultants  and other
independent  advisors  who provide  services to the Company  will be eligible to
participate in the Option Plan.

         As of February 28, 1997, 5 executive officers, 287 other employees, and
6 non-employee Board members were eligible to participate in the Option Plan.

Valuation

         The fair market value per share of Common  Stock on any  relevant  date
under the Option Plan will be the closing  selling  price per share on that date
on The Nasdaq  National  Market.  On February 28, 1997 the closing selling price
per share was $13.25.

                                  Option Grants

         Options may be granted  under the Option Plan at an exercise  price per
share not less than eighty-five percent (85%) of the fair market value per share
of Common Stock on the option grant date. No granted  option will have a term in
excess of ten years. The options will generally  become  exercisable in a series
of installments over the optionee's period of service with the Company.

         Upon  cessation of service,  the optionee will have a limited period of
time in which to exercise his or her outstanding options for any shares in which
the optionee is vested at that time. The Plan  Administrator  will have complete
discretion to extend the period  following the  optionee's  cessation of service
during  which  his  or  her  outstanding  options  may be  exercised  and/or  to
accelerate  the  exercisability  or vesting of such options in whole or in part.
Such  discretion  may  be  exercised  at  any  time  while  the  options  remain
outstanding, whether before or after the optionee's actual cessation of service.

         The  Plan  Administrator  is  authorized  to issue  two  types of stock
appreciation rights in connection with option grants made under the Option Plan:

                  Tandem stock appreciation  rights provide the holders with the
         right to surrender their options for an appreciation  distribution from
         the Company  equal in amount to the excess of (a) the fair market value
         of the vested shares of Common Stock subject to the surrendered  option
         over (b) the aggregate  exercise  price  payable for such shares.  Such
         appreciation   distribution

                                       8.
<PAGE>


         may, at the discretion of the Plan  Administrator,  be made in cash, in
         shares of  Common  Stock,  or in a  combination  of cash and  shares of
         Common Stock.

                  Limited  stock  appreciation  rights may be provided to one or
         more officers or  non-employee  Board members of the Company as part of
         their option grants.  Any option with such a limited stock appreciation
         right may be surrendered to the Company upon the successful  completion
         of a hostile  tender  offer for more than  fifty  percent  (50%) of the
         Company's  outstanding  voting  stock.  In return  for the  surrendered
         option,  the  officer  or  Board  member  will  be  entitled  to a cash
         distribution from the Company in an amount per surrendered option share
         equal to the excess of (a) the  highest  price paid per share of Common
         Stock paid in  connection  with the tender  offer over (b) the exercise
         price payable for such share.

         The shares of Common  Stock  acquired  upon the exercise of one or more
options  may be  unvested  and  subject to  repurchase  by the  Company,  at the
original  exercise price paid per share, if the optionee ceases service with the
Company  prior to  vesting in those  shares.  The Plan  Administrator  will have
complete  discretion to establish  the vesting  schedule to be in effect for any
such  unvested  shares  and may at any time  cancel  the  Company's  outstanding
repurchase  rights  with  respect to those  shares and  thereby  accelerate  the
vesting of those shares.

         The Plan  Administrator  will also  have the  authority  to effect  the
cancellation  of  outstanding  options under the Option Plan which have exercise
prices in excess of the then  current  market  price of the Common  Stock and to
issue  replacement  options  with an exercise  price based on the lower  current
market price of Common Stock at the time of the new grant.

                               General Provisions

Acceleration

         In the event that the Company is acquired by merger or asset sale, each
outstanding  option  under the  Option  Plan  which is not to be  assumed by the
successor corporation or replaced with a cash incentive program by the successor
corporation  will  automatically  accelerate  in full,  and all unvested  shares
issued  under the Option Plan will  immediately  vest,  except to the extent the
Company's  repurchase  rights with respect to those shares are to be assigned to
the  successor  corporation.   Any  options  assumed  in  connection  with  such
acquisition may, in the Plan Administrator's discretion, be subject to immediate
acceleration,  and any  unvested  shares  which  do not vest at the time of such
acquisition  may be  subject  to full and  immediate  vesting,  in the event the
individual's service with the successor entity is subsequently terminated within
a specified period  following the acquisition.  In connection with other changes
in control of the Company  (whether  by  successful  tender  offer for more than
fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding  voting stock or a change in the majority
of the Board as a result of one or more proxy contests for the election of Board
members),  the Plan  Administrator  will  have the  discretionary  authority  to
provide for  automatic  acceleration  of  outstanding  options and the automatic
vesting of all unvested  shares  outstanding  under the Option  Plan,  with such
acceleration or vesting to occur either at the time of such change in control or
upon the subsequent termination of the individual's service.

         The  acceleration  of vesting upon a change in the ownership or control
of the Company may be seen as an anti-takeover provision and may have the effect
of discouraging a merger  proposal,  a takeover attempt or other efforts to gain
control of the Company.

Financial Assistance

         The Plan  Administrator  may  institute a loan program to assist one or
more optionees in financing the exercise of their outstanding  options under the
Option Plan. The Plan Administrator  will have complete  discretion to determine
the terms of any such  financial  assistance.  However,  the  maximum  amount of
financing provided any

                                       9.
<PAGE>


individual may not exceed the cash  consideration  payable for the issued shares
plus all applicable  taxes.  Any such financing may be subject to forgiveness in
whole  or in  part,  at the  discretion  of the  Plan  Administrator,  over  the
optionee's period of service.

Special Tax Election

         The Plan  Administrator  may provide one or more  holders of options or
unvested  shares  with the right to have the  Company  withhold a portion of the
shares  otherwise  issuable  to  such  individuals  in  satisfaction  of the tax
liability  incurred by such individuals in connection with the exercise of those
options or the vesting of those shares.  Alternatively,  the Plan  Administrator
may allow such individuals to deliver previously acquired shares of Common Stock
in payment of such tax liability.

Stock Options

         The table below shows, as to each of the Company's  executive  officers
named in the Summary  Compensation  Table and the various indicated  individuals
and  groups,  the number of shares of Common  Stock  subject to options  granted
under the Option Plan between  November 7, 1995 and February 28, 1997,  together
with the weighted average exercise price payable per share.




                                              OPTION TRANSACTIONS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                          Name                              Options Granted (Number        Weighted Average
                                                            of Shares)                    Exercise Price ($)

<S>                                                                 <C>                         <C>   
Dr. Eli Harari, President and Chief Executive Officer               75,000                      12.000

Cindy Burgdorf, Chief Financial Officer, Senior Vice                30,000                      12.000
President, Finance and Administration

Leon Malmed, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Sales             30,000                      12.000


Daniel Auclair, Senior Vice President, Operations and               30,000                      12.000
Technology


Marianne Jackson, Vice President, Human Resources                   15,000                      12.000


All executive officers as a group (5 persons)                      180,000                      12.000

All non-employee directors as a group (6 persons)                      -0-                         -0-

All employees, including current officers who are not              731,000                      12.397
executive officers as a group
</TABLE>


         As of February 28, 1997,  options  covering  3,002,202 shares of Common
Stock  were  outstanding  under  the  Option  Plan,  2,772,698  shares  remained
available  for future  option grant  assuming  approval of the  2,500,000  share
increase by the Company's  stockholders,  and 4,077,028  shares have been issued
under the Option Plan.

                                      10.
<PAGE>


Amendment and Termination

         The Board may amend or modify  the Option  Plan in any or all  respects
whatsoever,  subject  to  any  required  stockholder  approval.  The  Board  may
terminate  the Option  Plan at any time,  and the Option Plan will in all events
terminate on July 24, 2005.

                         Federal Income Tax Consequences

Option Grants

         Options  granted  under the Option Plan may be either  incentive  stock
options which satisfy the  requirements  of Section 422 of the Internal  Revenue
Code or non-statutory  options which are not intended to meet such requirements.
The  Federal  income  tax  treatment  for the two types of  options  differs  as
follows:

         Incentive  Options.  No taxable income is recognized by the optionee at
the time of the option grant,  and no taxable income is generally  recognized at
the time the option is exercised. The optionee will, however,  recognize taxable
income in the year in which the purchased  shares are sold or otherwise made the
subject of a taxable  disposition.  For Federal tax purposes,  dispositions  are
divided into two categories: (i) qualifying and (ii) disqualifying. A qualifying
disposition  occurs if the sale or other  disposition is made after the optionee
has held the shares for more than two years after the option grant date and more
than one year after the exercise date. If either of these two holding periods is
not satisfied, then a disqualifying disposition will result.

         If the optionee  makes a  disqualifying  disposition  of the  purchased
shares,  then the Company will be entitled to an income tax  deduction,  for the
taxable year in which such  disposition  occurs,  equal to the excess of (i) the
fair  market  value of such  shares on the  option  exercise  date over (ii) the
exercise  price paid for the shares.  In no other  instance  will the Company be
allowed a deduction with respect to the optionee's  disposition of the purchased
shares.

         Non-Statutory  Options.  No taxable income is recognized by an optionee
upon the grant of a non-statutory option. The optionee will in general recognize
ordinary  income,  in the year in which the  option is  exercised,  equal to the
excess of the fair market value of the  purchased  shares on the  exercise  date
over the exercise  price paid for the shares,  and the optionee will be required
to satisfy the tax withholding requirements applicable to such income.

         If the shares  acquired upon exercise of the  non-statutory  option are
unvested and subject to repurchase by the Company in the event of the optionee's
termination of service prior to vesting in those shares,  then the optionee will
not recognize any taxable income at the time of exercise but will have to report
as ordinary income, as and when the Company's repurchase right lapses, an amount
equal to the excess of (i) the fair  market  value of the shares on the date the
repurchase  right lapses over (ii) the exercise  price paid for the shares.  The
optionee may, however, elect under Section 83(b) of the Internal Revenue Code to
include as ordinary income in the year of exercise of the option an amount equal
to the  excess  of (i) the fair  market  value of the  purchased  shares  on the
exercise date over (ii) the exercise price paid for such shares.  If the Section
83(b) election is made, the optionee will not recognize any additional income as
and when the repurchase right lapses.

         The Company  will be entitled to an income tax  deduction  equal to the
amount of  ordinary  income  recognized  by the  optionee  with  respect  to the
exercised non-statutory option. The deduction will in general be allowed for the
taxable year of the Company in which such  ordinary  income is recognized by the
optionee.

Stock Appreciation Rights

         An optionee who is granted a stock  appreciation  right will  recognize
ordinary income in the year of exercise equal to the amount of the  appreciation
distribution.  The Company will be entitled to an income tax 

                                      11.
<PAGE>


deduction equal to such  distribution for the taxable year in which the ordinary
income is recognized by the optionee.

Deductibility of Executive Compensation

         The  Company  anticipates  that any  compensation  deemed paid by it in
connection with  disqualifying  dispositions of incentive stock option shares or
exercises of  non-statutory  options  granted with exercise  prices equal to the
fair  market  value of the  option  shares on the grant  date  will  qualify  as
performance-based  compensation for purposes of Code Section 162(m) and will not
have to be taken into account for purposes of the $1 million maximum  limitation
per covered  individual on the deductibility of the compensation paid to certain
executive  officers of the Company.  Accordingly,  all compensation  deemed paid
with respect to those  options  will remain  deductible  by the Company  without
limitation under Code Section 162(m).

                              Accounting Treatment

         Option grants with  exercise  prices less than the fair market value of
the  shares on the grant  date will  result  in a  compensation  expense  to the
Company's  earnings equal to the  difference  between the exercise price and the
fair  market  value of the  shares  on the  grant  date.  Such  expense  will be
accruable  by the Company  over the period  that the option  shares are to vest.
Option  grants at 100% of fair market value will not result in any charge to the
Company's earnings, but the Company must disclose, in footnotes to the Company's
financial  statements,  the impact those  options  would have upon the Company's
reported  earnings  were the  value of those  options  treated  as  compensation
expense. Whether or not granted at a discount, the number of outstanding options
may be a factor in determining the Company's earnings per share.

         Should one or more optionees be granted stock appreciation rights which
have no  conditions  upon  exercisability  other  than a service  or  employment
requirement,  then such  rights  will  result in a  compensation  expense to the
Company's earnings.

                                New Plan Benefits

         As of February  28,  1997,  no options have been granted to date on the
basis of the 2,500,000 share increase to the Option Plan.

                              Stockholder Approval

         The affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding  voting shares of
the Company present or represented and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting is
required to approve the amendments to the Option Plan.  Should such  stockholder
approval not be obtained,  then non-employee  Board members will not be eligible
to participate in the Option Plan,  unvested  shares that are repurchased by the
Company  will reduce on a  share-for-share  basis the  reserve  under the Option
Plan, and any options granted on the basis of the 2,500,000 share increase which
forms part of this Proposal will terminate without becoming  exercisable for any
of the shares of Common Stock subject to those options,  and no further  options
will be made on the basis of such share increase. The Option Plan will, however,
continue to remain in effect, and option grants may continue to be made pursuant
to the provisions of the Option Plan prior to the amendments until the available
reserve of Common Stock under the Option Plan last approved by the  stockholders
is issued.

         THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS  RECOMMENDS THAT THE  STOCKHOLDERS  VOTE FOR THE
AMENDMENTS TO THE OPTION PLAN.


                                      12.
<PAGE>



         --------------------------------------------------------------

                                 PROPOSAL NO. 3:

                             APPROVAL OF AMENDMENTS
              TO THE 1995 NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS STOCK OPTION PLAN
        ----------------------------------------------------------------


         The  Company's   stockholders   are  being  asked  to  approve  several
amendments to the Company's 1995  Non-Employee  Directors Stock Option Plan (the
"Directors  Plan") that will (i) increase the maximum number of shares of Common
Stock  authorized  for issuance over the term of the Directors Plan from 150,000
shares to 200,000 shares,  (ii) allow unvested shares issued under the Directors
Plan and  subsequently  repurchased by the Company at the option  exercise price
paid per share to be  reissued  under the  Directors  Plan,  and (iii)  effect a
series of additional  changes to the provisions of the Directors Plan (including
the stockholder approval  requirements) in order to take advantage of the recent
amendments to Rule 16b-3 of the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange
Act")  which  exempts  certain  officer  and  director  transactions  under  the
Directors  Plan  from  the  short-swing  liability  provisions  of  the  federal
securities laws.

         The purpose of the increase to the share  reserve  under the  Directors
Plan is designed to assure that a sufficient reserve of Common Stock will remain
available  to attract and retain the services of  highly-qualified  non-employee
Board members by providing  them with the  opportunity  to acquire a proprietary
interest,  or otherwise increase their proprietary interest, in the Company. The
other  amendments  will remove a number of  restrictions  in the Directors  Plan
which  were  previously  imposed as a result of the  requirements  of Rule 16b-3
prior to its recent amendment.

         The  Directors  Plan was  adopted  by the  Board  on July 25,  1995 and
approved by the Company's stockholders in August 1995. The Directors Plan became
effective on November 7, 1995 in connection  with the initial public offering of
the  Company's  Common  Stock.  Initially,  150,000  shares of Common Stock were
reserved for issuance  under the  Directors  Plan.  The changes to the Directors
Plan  effected by the  amendments  which are the subject of this  Proposal  were
adopted by the Board on February 10, 1997,  subject to  stockholder  approval at
the 1997 Annual Meeting.

         The following is a summary of the  principal  features of the Directors
Plan, together with the applicable tax and accounting  implications,  which will
be in  effect  if the  amendments  to the  Directors  Plan are  approved  by the
stockholders. However, the summary does not purport to be a complete description
of all the provisions of the Directors  Plan. Any stockholder of the Company who
wishes to  obtain a copy of the  actual  plan  document  may do so upon  written
request to the Corporate  Secretary at the Company's principal executive offices
in Sunnyvale, California.

         The terms and conditions of each automatic  option grant (including the
timing and pricing of the option grant) are determined by the express provisions
of the  Directors  Plan.  Neither the Board nor any  committee of the Board will
perform any discretionary functions under the Directors Plan.

Share Reserve

         A total of  200,000  shares  of  Common  Stock  has been  reserved  for
issuance  over the ten-year  term of the  Directors  Plan.  The shares of Common
Stock issuable  under the Directors  Plan may be made available from  authorized
but unissued shares of the Company's Common Stock or from shares of Common Stock
repurchased by the Company, including shares repurchased on the open market.

                                      13.
<PAGE>


         In the event any  change  is made to the  outstanding  shares of Common
Stock  by  reason  of  any  recapitalization,   stock  dividend,   stock  split,
combination of shares, exchange of shares or other change in corporate structure
effected without the Company's receipt of consideration, appropriate adjustments
will be made to (i) the maximum  number and class of securities  issuable  under
the Directors  Plan,  (ii) the number and class of  securities  for which option
grants are subsequently to be made to  newly-elected or continuing  non-employee
Board  members  and (iii) the number and class of  securities  and the  exercise
price per share in effect under each outstanding option.

         Should an option  expire or terminate  for any reason prior to exercise
in full,  the shares  subject to the portion of the option not so exercised will
be available for  subsequent  issuance  under the  Directors  Plan. In addition,
unvested shares issued under the Directors Plan and subsequently  repurchased by
the  Company at the option  exercise  price paid per share will be added back to
the share  reserve and will  accordingly  be available for  subsequent  issuance
under the Directors Plan.  However,  shares subject to any option surrendered in
accordance with the option  surrender  provisions of the Directors Plan will not
be available for subsequent issuance.

Eligibility

         Only  non-employee  Board  members  will be eligible to receive  option
grants under the Directors  Plan. As of February 28, 1997, six (6)  non-employee
Board members were eligible to participate in the Directors Plan.

Valuation

         The fair market value per share of Common  Stock on any  relevant  date
under the  Directors  Plan will be the closing  selling  price per share on that
date on the Nasdaq  National  Market.  On February 28, 1997, the closing selling
price per share was $13.25.

Option Grants

         Each  individual who was serving as a non-employee  Board member on the
November 7, 1995 effective date of the Directors Plan was granted at that time a
non-statutory  option to purchase  16,000 shares of Common Stock,  provided such
individual had not previously been in the Company's employ and had not otherwise
received any prior option  grants from the Company.  Each  individual  who first
becomes a  non-employee  Board member after  November 7, 1995,  whether  through
election by the stockholders or appointment by the Board, will  automatically be
granted,  at the  time  of such  initial  election  or  appointment,  a  similar
non-statutory  option to purchase  16,000 shares of Common Stock,  provided such
individual has not previously been in the Company's  employ.  In addition,  each
non-employee  Board member who is to continue to serve on the Board will receive
a 4,000 share  automatic  option  grant on the date of each Annual  Stockholders
Meeting,  beginning with the 1996 Annual  Meeting,  provided such individual has
served as a non-employee Board member for at least six (6) months. There will be
no  limit  on the  number  of  such  4,000  share  option  grants  that  any one
non-employee  Board member may receive over his or her period of Board  service,
and non-employee  Board members who have been in the prior employ of the Company
will be eligible to receive one or more of those annual grants.

         Each option will have an exercise  price per share equal to 100% of the
fair  market  value per share of Common  Stock on the grant date.  The  exercise
price will be payable in cash or in shares of Common Stock or through a same-day
sale program with no cash outlay by the optionee. The option will have a maximum
term of ten (10)  years  measured  from  the  grant  date,  subject  to  earlier
termination at the end of the twelve (12)-month period measured from the date of
the  optionee's  cessation  of Board  service.  Each option will be  immediately
exercisable for any or all of the option shares.  However,  any shares purchased
under the option will be subject to repurchase  by the Company,  at the exercise
price paid per share,  upon the  optionee's  cessation of Board service prior to
vesting in those shares.  The shares subject to each initial 16,000 share option
grant  will  vest in four (4)  successive  equal  annual  installments  upon the
optionee's  completion  of each  year of Board  service  over the four  (4)-year
period  measured  from the grant date.  The shares  subject to each annual 4,000
share option grant will vest in full upon the  optionee's  completion of one (1)
year of Board service measured from the grant date.

                                      14.
<PAGE>



Vesting Acceleration

         The shares  subject to each option will  immediately  vest upon (i) the
optionee's  death  or  permanent  disability  while  a  Board  member,  (ii)  an
acquisition  of the  Company  by merger  or asset  sale,  (iii)  the  successful
completion  of a tender offer for more than fifty percent (50%) of the Company's
outstanding  voting stock or (iv) a change in the majority of the Board effected
through one or more proxy contests for Board membership.  In addition,  upon the
successful  completion  of a hostile  tender  offer for more than fifty  percent
(50%) of the Company's  outstanding  voting stock,  each  outstanding  automatic
option  grant may be  surrendered  to the  Company for a cash  distribution  per
surrendered  option  share in an amount  equal to the excess of (a) the  highest
price per share of Common Stock paid in  connection  with such tender offer over
(b) the  exercise  price  payable for such share.  Stockholder  approval of this
Proposal  will  constitute  pre-approval  of each such  option  surrender  right
subsequently  granted under the Directors  Plan and the  subsequent  exercise of
that right in accordance with the terms of the Directors Plan.

         The  acceleration  of vesting upon a change in the ownership or control
of the Company may be seen as an anti takeover provision and may have the effect
of discouraging a merger  proposal,  a takeover attempt or other efforts to gain
control of the Company. Stock Awards

         The table below shows, as to each of the Company's  non-employee  Board
members,  the number of shares of Common Stock subject to options  granted under
the Directors  Plan between the November 7, 1995 effective date of the Directors
Plan and February 28, 1997,  together with the weighted  average  exercise price
payable per share. Only non-employee  Board members received option grants under
the Directors Plan.


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


                              1995 NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTOR PLAN OPTION TRANSACTIONS


               Name                       Options Granted (Number          Weighted Average
                                                of Shares)                 Exercise Price ($)

<S>                                                 <C>                         <C>   
Irwin Federman, Chairman of the Board               20,000                      10.675

William Campbell                                     4,000                      13.375


Catherine P. Lego                                    4,000                      13.375

James Meindl                                         4,000                      13.375


Joseph Rizzi                                        20,000                      10.675


Alan Shugart                                        20,000                      10.675



All non-employee directors as a group               72,000                      11.125
(6 persons)
</TABLE>


         As of February 28, 1997, options covering 72,000 shares of Common Stock
were outstanding under the Directors Plan, 78,000 shares remained  available for
future option grant and 72,000 shares have been issued under the Directors Plan.

                                      15.
<PAGE>


Amendment and Termination

         The Board may amend or modify the  provisions of the Directors  Plan at
any time.  Certain  amendments  to the  Directors  Plan may require  stockholder
approval pursuant to applicable laws or regulations. The Board may terminate the
Directors Plan at any time, and the Directors Plan will in all events  terminate
on July 24, 2005.

                         Federal Income Tax Consequences

         Options granted under the Directors Plan are all non-statutory  options
which are not  intended  to  satisfy  the  requirements  of  Section  422 of the
Internal  Revenue  Code.  The Federal  income tax  treatment  for  non-statutory
options is as follows:

         No taxable  income is  recognized  by an  optionee  upon the grant of a
non-statutory option. The optionee will in general recognize ordinary income, in
the year in which  the  option  is  exercised,  equal to the  excess of the fair
market  value of the  purchased  shares on the  exercise  date over the exercise
price paid for the shares.

         If the shares  acquired upon exercise of the  non-statutory  option are
unvested and subject to repurchase by the Company in the event of the optionee's
termination of service prior to vesting in those shares,  then the optionee will
not recognize any taxable income at the time of exercise but will have to report
as ordinary income, as and when those shares vest, an amount equal to the excess
of (i) the fair  market  value of the  shares at time of  vesting  over (ii) the
exercise  price paid for those shares.  The optionee may,  however,  elect under
Section 83(b) of the Internal Revenue Code to include as ordinary income, in the
year in which the option is exercised,  an amount equal to the excess of (i) the
fair market value of the  purchased  shares on the  exercise  date over (ii) the
exercise price paid for such shares.  If the Section 83(b) election is made, the
optionee  will not  recognize  any  additional  income  as and  when the  shares
subsequently vest.

         The Company  will be entitled to an income tax  deduction  equal to the
amount of  ordinary  income  recognized  by the  optionee  with  respect  to the
exercised non-statutory option. The deduction will in general be allowed for the
taxable year of the Company in which such  ordinary  income is recognized by the
optionee.

                              Accounting Treatment

         Option  grants with  exercise  prices equal to the fair market value of
the  shares on the grant  date will not  result in any  charge to the  Company's
earnings, but the Company must disclose, in footnotes to the Company's financial
statements,  the impact those  options  would have upon the  Company's  reported
earnings  were the  value  of those  options  at the  time of grant  treated  as
compensation  expense.  Whether  or not  granted  at a  discount,  the number of
outstanding  options may be a factor in determining  the Company's  earnings per
share on a fully-diluted basis.

                                New Plan Benefits

         As of February  28,  1997,  no options have been granted to date on the
basis of the 50,000 share increase to the Directors Plan.

                              Stockholder Approval

         The affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding  voting shares of
the Company present or represented and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting is
required  to  approve  the  amendments  to  the  Directors  Plan.   Should  such
stockholder approval not be obtained,  then any unvested shares issued under the
Directors Plan and  repurchased by the Company will reduce on a  share-for-share
basis the number of shares  reserves for issuance under the Directors  Plan, and
any options  granted on the basis of the 50,000 share  increase which forms part
of 

                                      16.
<PAGE>


this Proposal will  terminate  without  becoming  exercisable  for any of the
shares of Common Stock subject to those options,  and no further options will be
made on the basis of such share  increase.  The  Directors  Plan will,  however,
continue to remain in effect, and option grants may continue to be made pursuant
to the  provisions  of the Directors  Plan as in effect prior to the  amendments
until the  available  reserve of Common Stock under the  Directors  Plan as last
approved by the stockholders is issued.

         THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS  RECOMMENDS THAT THE  STOCKHOLDERS  VOTE FOR THE
AMENDMENTS TO THE DIRECTORS PLAN.


                                      17.
<PAGE>


                  ---------------------------------------------

                                 PROPOSAL NO. 4:

                          APPROVAL OF SHARE INCREASE TO
                       TO THE EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
                  ---------------------------------------------



         The  Company's  stockholders  are being asked to approve an increase of
450,000  shares of Common  Stock to the reserve  available  under the  Company's
Employee Stock Purchase Plan  ("Purchase  Plan").  Approval of this amendment to
the Purchase  Plan will  increase  the maximum  number of shares of Common Stock
that may be issued over the term of the Plan from  433,333 to 883,333  shares of
Common  Stock.  This  amendment to the Purchase Plan was adopted by the Board of
Directors  on February  10, 1997,  subject to  stockholder  approval at the 1997
Annual Meeting.

         The Board of Directors believes that it is in the best interests of the
Company's  stockholders  to increase the number of shares  reserved for issuance
under the  Purchase  Plan so that  eligible  employees  of the  Company  and its
participating  affiliates  will continue to have the  opportunity  to acquire an
equity  interest in the Company and thereby  further align their  interests with
those of the stockholders.

         The terms and provisions of the Purchase Plan as most recently  amended
are summarized below. This summary,  however,  does not purport to be a complete
description  of the  Purchase  Plan.  Copies of the actual plan  document may be
obtained by any stockholder  upon written request to the Corporate  Secretary at
the Company's principal offices in Sunnyvale, California.

Purchase Plan History

         The Purchase Plan was  originally  adopted by the Board of Directors on
July 25, 1995,  and approved by the  stockholders  in August 1995.  The Purchase
Plan became  effective on November 7, 1995 in connection with the initial public
offering of the Company's Common Stock.

Administration

         The Purchase Plan is administered by the Compensation  Committee of the
Board.  Such  committee,  as Plan  Administrator,  has full  authority  to adopt
administrative  rules and  procedures  and to interpret  the  provisions  of the
Purchase Plan. All costs and expenses incurred in plan  administration  are paid
by the Company without charge to participants.

Securities Subject to the Purchase Plan

         A total of  883,333  shares  of  Common  Stock  has been  reserved  for
issuance in the  aggregate  over the term of the Purchase Plan and the Company's
International Employee Stock Purchase Plan, a comparable stock purchase plan for
employees of the Company's foreign subsidiaries who are not residing in the U.S.
(the "International Plan").  Accordingly,  stockholder approval of this Proposal
will also result in an increase to the number of shares of Common Stock issuable
under the  International  Plan,  subject to the aggregate  limitation of 883,333
shares over the term of this Plan and the International  Plan. The shares may be
made available from authorized but unissued shares of the Company's Common Stock
or from shares of Common  Stock  repurchased  by the Company,  including  shares
repurchased on the open market.

         In the  event  that any  change  is made to the  Company's  outstanding
Common Stock (whether by reason of

                                      18.
<PAGE>


any  recapitalization,  stock dividend,  stock split, exchange or combination of
shares or other change in corporate  structure  effected  without the  Company's
receipt of consideration), appropriate adjustments will be made to (i) the class
and maximum number of securities  issuable in the aggregate over the term of the
Purchase Plan and the  International  Plan, (ii) the class and maximum number of
securities  purchasable per participant on any one semi-annual purchase date and
(iii) the class and number of securities and the price per share in effect under
each outstanding purchase right.

Purchase Periods and Purchase Rights

         Shares of Common Stock are offered  under the  Purchase  Plan through a
series of successive  offering  periods.  Each such offering  period will have a
duration  of six (6)  months.  The  offering  periods  will  start on the  first
business  day in February  and August each year and will have a single  purchase
date that  coincides  with the last business day of that six (6)-month  offering
period.  For example,  the current offering period began on February 3, 1997 and
will end on July 31,  1997,  which is also the date on which the shares for that
offering period will be purchased.

Eligibility and Participation

         Any  individual  who is  employed  on a basis  under which he or she is
expected to work for more than twenty (20) hours per week for more than five (5)
months  per  calendar  year in the employ of the  Company  or any  participating
parent or subsidiary  corporation  (including any corporation which subsequently
becomes  such at any time during the term of the  Purchase  Plan) is eligible to
participate in the Purchase Plan. As of February 28, 1997, the Company estimated
that approximately 288 employees,  including 4 executive officers, were eligible
to participate in the Purchase Plan.

         Only individuals who are eligible employees at the start of an offering
period may join that  offering  period.  At the time the  participant  joins the
offering period, he or she will be granted a purchase right to acquire shares of
Common Stock on the purchase date for that offering period.  Purchase dates will
occur on the last  business  day in January and July each year,  and all payroll
deductions  collected from the  participant for the period ending with each such
purchase  date will  automatically  be applied to the purchase of Common  Stock.
Payroll deductions may not exceed 10% of the participant's cash compensation for
each six (6)-month period of participation, and no participant may purchase more
than 750 shares per purchase date.

Purchase Price

         The  purchase  price of the Common Stock  acquired on each  semi-annual
purchase date will be equal to 85% of the lower of (i) the fair market value per
share of Common Stock on the  participant's  entry date into the offering period
or (ii) the fair market value on that purchase date.

         The fair market value per share of Common Stock on any particular  date
under the Purchase Plan will be deemed to be equal to the closing  selling price
per share on such date on the Nasdaq National Market.  On February 28, 1997, the
fair  market  value per share of Common  Stock was $13.25,  the closing  selling
price per share on such date on the Nasdaq National Market.

Payroll Deductions and Stock Purchases

         Each  participant  may  authorize  periodic  payroll  deductions in any
multiple  of 1% (up to a maximum of 10%) of his or her cash  compensation  (base
salary plus bonus, overtime and commissions) to be applied to the acquisition of
Common Stock at semi-annual intervals. Accordingly, on each semi-annual purchase
date (the last  business  day in January  and July each year),  the  accumulated
payroll  deductions of each  participant  will  automatically  be applied to the
purchase of whole shares of Common Stock at the purchase price in effect for the
participant for that purchase date. 

                                      19.
<PAGE>


Special Limitations

         The Purchase  Plan imposes  certain  limitations  upon a  participant's
rights to acquire Common Stock, including the following limitations:

         -  Purchase  rights  granted  to a  participant  may  not  permit  such
individual  to purchase  more than $25,000  worth of Common Stock (valued at the
time each  purchase  right is granted)  for each  calendar  year those  purchase
rights are outstanding at any time.

         -  No participant may purchase more than 750 shares of Common Stock on 
any one purchase date.

Termination of Purchase Rights

         The  participant  may withdraw from the Purchase Plan at any time,  and
his or her accumulated  payroll deductions will, at the participant's  election,
either be applied to the  purchase  of shares on the next  semi-annual  purchase
date or be refunded immediately.

         The participant's purchase right will immediately terminate upon his or
her  cessation of employment or loss of eligible  employee  status.  Any payroll
deductions  which the participant  may have made for the  semi-annual  period in
which  such  cessation  of  employment  or loss of  eligibility  occurs  will be
refunded and will not be applied to the purchase of Common Stock.

Stockholder Rights

         No  participant  will have any  stockholder  rights with respect to the
shares  covered by his or her  purchase  rights  until the  shares are  actually
purchased on the participant's behalf. No adjustment will be made for dividends,
distributions  or other rights for which the record date is prior to the date of
such purchase.

Assignability

         No  purchase   rights  will  be  assignable  or   transferable  by  the
participant,   and  the  purchase  rights  will  be  exercisable   only  by  the
participant.

Change in Control

         In the event the  Company  is  acquired  by merger or asset  sale,  all
outstanding purchase rights will automatically be exercised immediately prior to
the effective date of such acquisition.  The purchase price will be equal to 85%
of the lower of (i) the fair  market  value  per  share of  Common  Stock on the
participant's  entry date into the  offering  period in which  such  acquisition
occurs or (ii) the fair market value per share of Common Stock immediately prior
to such acquisition.

Share Pro-Ration

         Should  the total  number of  shares  of Common  Stock to be  purchased
pursuant to outstanding purchase rights on any particular date exceed the number
of shares then  available for issuance  under the Purchase  Plan,  then the Plan
Administrator  will make a  pro-rata  allocation  of the  available  shares on a
uniform  and  nondiscriminatory  basis,  and  the  payroll  deductions  of  each
participant, to the extent in excess of the aggregate purchase price payable for
the Common Stock pro-rated to such individual, will be refunded.

Amendment and Termination

         The  Purchase  Plan will  terminate  upon the  earliest of (i) the last
business  day in July,  2005,  (ii) the date

                                      20.
<PAGE>


on which all shares  available  for  issuance  thereunder  are sold  pursuant to
exercised  purchase  rights or (iii) the date on which all  purchase  rights are
exercised in connection with an acquisition of the Company.

         The Board may at any time alter,  suspend or  discontinue  the Purchase
Plan. However, the Board may not, without stockholder approval, (i) increase the
number of shares  issuable  under the  Purchase  Plan or the  maximum  number of
shares purchasable per participant on any one semi-annual  purchase date, except
in connection  with certain  changes in the Company's  capital  structure,  (ii)
alter the  purchase  price  formula so as to reduce the  purchase  price,  (iii)
materially  increase the benefits  accruing to  participants  or (iv) materially
modify the requirements for eligibility to participate in the Purchase Plan.
                           
                            Federal Tax Consequences

         The Purchase Plan is intended to be an "employee  stock  purchase plan"
within the meaning of Section 423 of the  Internal  Revenue  Code.  Under a plan
which so qualifies,  no taxable income will be recognized by a participant,  and
no  deductions  will be allowable  to the Company,  upon either the grant or the
exercise of the purchase  rights.  Taxable  income will not be recognized  until
there is a sale or other  disposition of the shares  acquired under the Purchase
Plan or in the event the participant should die while still owning the purchased
shares.

         If the participant sells or otherwise  disposes of the purchased shares
within  two (2) years  after his or her entry date into the  offering  period in
which such  shares were  acquired  or within one (1) year after the  semi-annual
purchase date on which those shares were actually acquired, then the participant
will recognize  ordinary income in the year of sale or disposition  equal to the
amount  by which  the fair  market  value of the  shares  on the  purchase  date
exceeded  the  purchase  price paid for those  shares,  and the Company  will be
entitled  to an  income  tax  deduction,  for the  taxable  year in  which  such
disposition occurs, equal in amount to such excess.

         If the participant  sells or disposes of the purchased shares more than
two (2) years after his or her entry date into the offering  period in which the
shares were acquired and more than one (1) year after the  semi-annual  purchase
date of those shares, then the participant will recognize ordinary income in the
year of sale or  disposition  equal to the lesser of (i) the amount by which the
fair market  value of the shares on the sale or  disposition  date  exceeded the
purchase price paid for those shares or (ii) 15% of the fair market value of the
shares  on the  participant's  entry  date into that  offering  period;  and any
additional gain upon the disposition will be taxed as a long-term  capital gain.
The Company will not be entitled to an income tax deduction with respect to such
disposition.

         If the  participant  still  owns the  purchased  shares  at the time of
death, the lesser of (i) the amount by which the fair market value of the shares
on the date of death  exceeds the purchase  price or (ii) 15% of the fair market
value of the shares on his or her entry date into the  offering  period in which
those shares were acquired will constitute ordinary income in the year of death.

                              Accounting Treatment

         Under current  accounting rules, the issuance of Common Stock under the
Purchase Plan will not result in a compensation  expense  chargeable against the
Company's reported earnings. However, the Company must disclose, in footnotes to
the Company's financial statements, the impact the purchase rights granted under
the Purchase Plan would have upon the Company's reported earnings were the value
of those purchase rights treated as compensation expense.

                                      21.
<PAGE>


Stock Issuances

         The table below shows, as to each of the Company's  executive  officers
named in the Summary  Compensation  Table and the various indicated groups,  the
number of shares of Common Stock  purchased  under the Purchase Plan between the
November  7, 1995  effective  date and  February  28,  1997,  together  with the
weighted average purchase price paid per share.


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                           PURCHASE PLAN TRANSACTIONS

                          Name                                     Number of                   Weighted
                                                                   Purchased                   Average
                                                                    Shares                Purchase Price ($)

<S>                                                                <C>                        <C>
Dr. Eli Harari, President and Chief Executive Officer                  -0-                        -0-

Cindy Burgdorf, Chief Financial Officer, Senior Vice                 2,250                      8.500
President, Finance and Administration

Leon Malmed, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Sales              2,250                      8.500

Daniel Auclair, Senior Vice President,                               2,250                      8.500
Operations/Technology


Marianne Jackson, Vice President, Human Resources                    1,777                      8.500


All Executive officers as a group (5 persons)                        8,527                      8.500


All non-employee directors as a group (6 persons)                      -0-                        -0-


All employees, including current officers who are not              149,643                      8.596
executive officers as a group
</TABLE>

                                New Plan Benefits

         As of February 28, 1997, no shares have been  purchased on the basis of
the 450,000 share increase to the Purchase Plan.

                              Stockholder Approval

         The affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding  voting shares of
the Company present or represented and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting is
required  to approve  the share  increase  to the  Purchase  Plan.  Should  such
stockholder  approval  not be  obtained,  then the  maximum  number of shares of
Common Stock that may be issued over the term of the  Purchase  Plan will remain
at the level of 433,333  shares.  The Purchase  Plan will  continue to remain in
effect,  and stock  purchases may continue to be made pursuant to the provisions
of the  Purchase  Plan until the  available  reserve of Common  Stock  under the
Purchase Plan last approved by the stockholders is issued.

         THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS  RECOMMENDS THAT THE  STOCKHOLDERS  VOTE FOR THE
AMENDMENTS TO THE PURCHASE PLAN.


                                      22.
<PAGE>


          ------------------------------------------------------------


                                 PROPOSAL NO. 5:

                 RATIFICATION OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
          ------------------------------------------------------------


         The Company is asking the stockholders to ratify the selection of Ernst
& Young LLP as the Company's  independent public accountants for the fiscal year
ending December 28, 1997. The  affirmative  vote of the holders of a majority of
the shares  represented  and voting at the Annual  Meeting  will be  required to
ratify the selection of Ernst & Young LLP.

         In the event the stockholders fail to ratify the appointment, the Audit
Committee  of the Board of Directors  will  consider it as a direction to select
other auditors for the subsequent  year. Even if the selection is ratified,  the
Board in its  discretion may direct the  appointment of a different  independent
accounting firm at any time during the year if the Board  determines that such a
change would be in the best interest of the Company and its stockholders.

         Ernst & Young  LLP  has  audited  the  Company's  financial  statements
annually  since  1991.  Its  representatives  are  expected to be present at the
Annual Meeting,  will have the opportunity to make a statement if they desire to
do so, and will be available to respond to appropriate questions.

         THE  BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS  RECOMMENDS  THAT  STOCKHOLDERS  VOTE FOR THE
PROPOSAL  TO  RATIFY  THE  SELECTION  OF  ERNST  &  YOUNG  LLP AS THE  COMPANY'S
INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 28, 1997.

                                      23.
<PAGE>


                          SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN
                        BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

         The  following  table  sets forth  certain  information  regarding  the
ownership  of the  Company's  Common  Stock as of  February  28, 1997 by (i) all
persons  known by the Company to be  beneficial  owners of five  percent (5%) or
more of its outstanding Common Stock, (ii) each director of the Company and each
nominee for  director,  (iii) the Chief  Executive  Officer and each of the four
most highly compensated  executive officers of the Company serving as such as of
the end of the last fiscal year whose  compensation  for such year was in excess
of $100,000,  and (iv) all executive  officers and directors of the Company as a
group.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                             Amount and Nature of
                                                                           Beneficial Ownership(1)
Name or Group of Beneficial Owners                             Number of Shares             Percent Owned(2)

<S>                                                               <C>                            <C>  
Seagate Technology, Inc................................           6,141,374                      27.34
  920 Disc Drive
  Scotts Valley, CA 95066
William Campbell(3)....................................              43,608                          *
Irwin Federman(4)......................................             131,664                          *
Catherine P. Lego(5)...................................              60,037                          *
Dr. Eli Harari(6)......................................           1,443,331                       6.42
Dr. James D. Meindl(7).................................              61,665                          *
Joseph Rizzi(8)........................................              38,333                          *
Alan F. Shugart(9).....................................           6,161,374                      27.43
Daniel Auclair(10).....................................             233,581                       1.04
Cindy Burgdorf(11).....................................             166,749                          *
Leon Malmed(12)........................................             225,415                       1.00
Marianne Jackson(13)...................................              49,776                          *
All directors and executive officers as a group                   8,615,533                      38.36
(11 persons)(14).......................................

</TABLE>

 *     Less than 1%

(1)    Except as  indicated  in the  footnotes  to this  table and  pursuant  to
       applicable  community  property laws, the persons named in the table have
       sole  voting and  investment  power with  respect to all shares of Common
       Stock. The number of shares  beneficially  owned includes Common Stock of
       which  such  individual  has the right to  acquire  beneficial  ownership
       either  currently or within 60 days after  February 28, 1997,  including,
       but not limited to, upon the exercise of an option.

(2)    Percentage of  beneficial  ownership is based upon  22,457,713  shares of
       Common Stock,  all of which were  outstanding  on February 28, 1997.  For
       each  individual,  this  percentage  includes  Common Stock of which such
       individual has the right to acquire beneficial ownership either currently
       or within 60 days of February  28, 1997,  including,  but not limited to,
       upon the exercise of an option;  however,  such Common Stock shall not be
       deemed  outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage  owned by
       any other  individual.  Such  calculation  is  required  by General  Rule
       13d-3(d)(1)(i)  under the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934.  Based upon a
       review of 13G filings made with the  Securities  and Exchange  Commission
       during 1996, the table above includes all greater than 5% stockholders.

                                      24.
<PAGE>



(3)    Includes  4,000 shares owned by Mr.  Campbell in the form of  immediately
       exercisable  options,  some of which,  if exercised and issued,  would be
       subject to a repurchase right of the Company that lapses over time.

(4)    Includes  20,000 shares owned by Mr.  Federman in the form of immediately
       exercisable  options,  some of which,  if exercised and issued,  would be
       subject to a  repurchase  right of the  Company  that  lapses  over time.
       Includes  16,666  shares  owned by U.S.  Venture  Partners  III,  Limited
       Partnership.  Also  includes  66,665  shares  issuable  upon  exercise of
       warrants issued by the Company to the U.S.V.  entities.  Mr. Federman,  a
       director of the Company, is a general partner of BHMS Partners III, which
       is the  general  partner  of each of the  foregoing  venture  funds.  Mr.
       Federman  disclaims  beneficial  ownership  of the shares  held by U.S.V.
       Entrepreneur Partners, U.S.Venture Partners III and Second Ventures, L.P.
       except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.

(5)    Includes  4,000  shares  owned  by Ms.  Lego in the  form of  immediately
       exercisable  options,  some of which,  if exercised and issued,  would be
       subject to a repurchase right of the Company that lapses over time.

(6)    Includes  1,277,408 shares held in the name of a trust for the benefit of
       Dr. Harari and his wife. Also includes 133,332 shares owned by Dr. Harari
       in the  form  of  immediately  exercisable  options,  some of  which,  if
       exercised  and  issued,  would be  subject to a  repurchase  right of the
       Company that lapses over time. Also includes 13,333 shares owned directly
       by his son and 5,925  shares  held in the name of a trust for the benefit
       of his children.

(7)    Represents  57,665  shares held by a trust in the name of Dr.  Meindl and
       his wife.  Also includes  4,000 shares owned by Mr. Meindl in the form of
       immediately  exercisable options, some of which, if exercised and issued,
       would be subject to a  repurchase  right of the Company  that lapses over
       time.

(8)    Includes  20,000  shares  owned by Mr.  Rizzi in the form of  immediately
       exercisable  options,  some of which,  if exercised and issued,  would be
       subject to a repurchase right of the Company that lapses over time.

(9)    Includes  20,000 shares owned by Mr.  Shugart in the form of  immediately
       exercisable  options,  some of which,  if exercised and issued,  would be
       subject to a  repurchase  right of the  Company  that  lapses  over time.
       Represents 6,141,374 shares beneficially owned by Seagate. Mr. Shugart is
       Chairman of the Board,  President and Chief Executive Officer of Seagate.
       Mr. Shugart  disclaims  beneficial  ownership of the  securities  held by
       Seagate.

(10)   Includes  153,331  shares owned by Mr. Auclair in the form of immediately
       exercisable  options,  some of which,  if exercised and issued,  would be
       subject to a  repurchase  right of the  Company  that  lapses  over time.
       Includes an aggregate  of 4,000 shares owned by his children  held in his
       name as custodian.

(11)   Represents   159,999  shares  owned  by  Ms.  Burgdorf  in  the  form  of
       immediately  exercisable options, some of which, if exercised and issued,
       would be subject to a  repurchase  right of the Company  that lapses over
       time.

(12)   Represents  215,399 shares owned by Mr. Malmed in the form of immediately
       exercisable  options,  some of which,  if exercised and issued,  would be
       subject to a repurchase right of the Company that lapses over time.

(13)   Includes  47,999 shares owned by Ms.  Jackson in the form of  immediately
       exercisable  options,  some of which,  if exercised and issued,  would be
       subject to a repurchase right of the Company that lapses over time.

(14)   Includes 848,725 shares subject to options and warrants,  including those
       identified in notes (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10),  (11), (12),
       and (13).


                                      25.
<PAGE>


           COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 16(a) OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1934

       Section  16(a) of the  Securities  and Exchange Act of 1934  requires the
Company's  directors and executive  officers,  and persons who own more than ten
percent (10%) of a registered class of the Company's equity securities,  to file
with the  Securities  and Exchange  Commission  (the "SEC")  initial  reports of
ownership  and reports of changes in  ownership of Common Stock and other equity
securities  of the  Company.  Officers,  directors  and greater than ten percent
(10%)  stockholders  are required by SEC regulations to furnish the Company with
copies of all Section 16(a) forms they file.

       Based upon (i) the  copies of Section  16(a)  reports  which the  Company
received from such persons for their 1996 fiscal year transactions in the Common
Stock and their  Common  Stock  holdings,  and (ii) the written  representations
received  from one or more of such  persons  that no annual Form 5 reports  were
required to be filed by them for the 1996 fiscal year, the Company believes that
all  executive  officers and Board  members  complied  with all their  reporting
requirements  under Section  16(a) for such fiscal year,  except that the Form 5
reports for the exempt option grants made to Eliyahou  Harari,  Cindy  Burgdorf,
Leon Malmed,  Dan Auclair and  Marianne  Jackson on December 16, 1996 were filed
two days late based on a fiscal year ending date of December 31, 1996.  However,
the Company's fiscal year ended on December 29, 1996.


                                      26.
<PAGE>


                 EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION AND RELATED INFORMATION

Summary of Cash and Certain Other Compensation

       The following table provides certain summary  information  concerning the
compensation  earned, by (i) the Company's Chief Executive Officer and (ii) each
of the four other most  highly  compensated  executive  officers  of the Company
whose  compensation  was in excess of  $100,000  for the 1996 fiscal  year,  for
services rendered in all capacities to the Company and its subsidiaries for each
of the last three fiscal years.  Such individuals will be hereafter  referred to
as the Named  Executive  Officers.  No other  executive  officer  who would have
otherwise been  includible in such table on the basis of salary and bonus earned
for the 1996  fiscal  year has  resigned or  terminated  employment  during that
fiscal year.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                              Summary Compensation Table

                                                                                       Long-Term       
                                                                                      Compensation     All Other
                                                Annual Compensation                      Awards       Compensation
                                 ----------------------------------------------        ----------     ------------
                                                                                       Securities
  Name and Principal                                                                   Underlying
      Position                   Years        Salary($)(1)          Bonus($)(2)        Options(#)


<S>                               <C>         <C>                    <C>                  <C>              <C>
Dr. Eli Harari                    1996        $  232,875             $ 130,992            75,000           $ 0
 President and Chief              1995        $  217,498             $ 171,105            66,666           $ 0
 Executive Officer                1994        $  199,568             $  43,500            66,666           $ 0

Cindy Burgdorf (3)                1996        $  174,477             $  45,800            30,000           $ 0
 Chief Financial Officer,         1995        $  164,420             $  67,042            26,666           $ 0
 Senior Vice President,           1994        $   86,165             $  20,000           133,333           $ 0
 Finance and Administration
  and Secretary

Leon Malmed                       1996        $  195,903             $  50,602            30,000           $ 0
 Senior Vice President            1995        $  187,010             $ 110,737            26,666           $ 0
 Marketing and Sales              1994        $  178,955             $  45,000                --           $ 0


Daniel Auclair                    1996        $  186,464             $  45,324            30,000           $ 0
 Senior Vice President            1995        $  177,174             $  65,292            43,332           $ 0
 Operations and Technology        1994        $  168,424             $  20,000            33,333           $ 0


Marianne Jackson (4)              1996        $  138,955             $  20,218            15,000           $ 0
Vice President Human              1995        $   92,432             $  32,996            49,999           $ 0
 Resources

<FN>

- -----------------
(1)   Includes salary deferral contributions to the Company's 401(k) Plan.
(2)   Bonus earned in the respective year but paid in the following year.
(3)   Commenced employment in June 1994.
(4)   Commenced employment in April 1995.  Ms. Jackson's annualized base salary for the 1995 fiscal year was $135,012.
</FN>
</TABLE>

                                      27.
<PAGE>


Stock Options

         The following  table contains  information  concerning the stock option
grants made to each of the Named Executive  Officers for fiscal 1996. Except for
the limited stock appreciation  rights described in footnote (1) below, no stock
appreciation rights were granted to those individuals during such year.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                Individual Grants(1)
                       Number of                                                       Potential Realizable
                      Securities                                                         Value at Assumed
                      Underlying       % of Total                                      Annual Rates of Stock
                        Options      Options Granted   Exercise                         Price Appreciation
                        Granted      to Employees in     Price     Expiration           For Option Term(4)
       Name                 (#)       Fiscal Year(2)   ($/Sh)(3)      Date           5%($)          10%($)
       ----             -------      ---------------  ----------   ----------       ------          ------
<S>                      <C>              <C>           <C>         <C>   <C>     <C>           <C>          
Dr. Eli Harari           75,000           8.36%         $12.00      12/16/06      $566,005.17   $1,434,368.22
Cindy Burgdorf           30,000           3.34%          12.00      12/16/06       226,402.07      573,747.29
Leon Malmed              30,000           3.34%          12.00      12/16/06       226,402.07      573,747.29
Daniel Auclair           30,000           3.34%          12.00      12/16/06       226,402.07      573,747.29
Marianne Jackson         15,000           1.67%          12.00      12/16/06       113,201.03       286,873.64
</TABLE>



(1)  Each option will become  exercisable  for 25% of the option shares upon the
     optionee's  completion of one year of service  measured  December 19, 1996,
     the vesting  commencement  date, and the option will become exercisable for
     the remaining shares in a series of successive equal quarterly installments
     upon  completion  of each  quarter of service  with the company  during the
     36-month period  beginning  December 19, 1997 and ending December 19, 2000.
     The option will become  immediately  exercisable  for all the option shares
     upon an  acquisition  of the  Company by merger or asset  sale,  unless the
     option is assumed by the acquiring  entity.  Each option has a maximum term
     of ten (10)  years,  subject  to  earlier  termination  in the event of the
     optionee's  cessation of service with the Company.  Each option  includes a
     limited stock  appreciation  right that will allow the  optionee,  upon the
     acquisition  of 25% or  more  of the  Company's  outstanding  voting  stock
     pursuant  to a  hostile  tender  offer,  to  surrender  that  option to the
     Company,  to the extent the  option is at the time  exercisable  for vested
     shares,  in  exchange  for a cash  distribution  based on the tender  offer
     price.

(2)  The Company  granted  options to purchase  897,500  shares of Common  Stock
     during 1996.

(3)  The exercise price may be paid in cash or in shares of the Company's Common
     Stock  valued at fair market value on the  exercise  date.  The Company may
     finance the option exercise by loaning the optionee sufficient funds to pay
     the exercise price for the purchased shares,  together with any federal and
     state income tax liability incurred by the optionee in connection with such
     exercise.  The Plan Administrator  also has the discretionary  authority to
     reprice the options through the cancellation of the option and the grant of
     a replacement  option with an exercise price based on the fair market value
     of the Company's Common Stock on the regrant date.

(4)  Potential gains are net of exercise price, but before taxes associated with
     exercise.  There is no assurance  that the actual stock price  appreciation
     over the  10-year  option  term will be at the assumed 5% and 10% levels of
     assumed annual rates of compounded stock price appreciation or at any other
     defined level. Unless the market price of the Common Stock appreciates over
     the option term,  no value will be realized  from the option grants made to
     the executive officers.

                                      28.
<PAGE>


Aggregated Option Exercises in Last Fiscal Year and Fiscal 
Year-End Option Values

         The following table sets forth information  concerning option exercises
and option  holdings  for the 1996  fiscal  year by each of the Named  Executive
Officers. Except for the limited stock appreciation rights described in footnote
(1) to the  Stock  Options  table  above,  no  stock  appreciation  rights  were
exercised during such year or were outstanding at the end of that year.


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                            Number of Securities         Value of Unexercised
                                                           Underlying Unexercised      in-the-Money Options at
                                                            Options at FY-End (#)            FY-End $(1)
                                                         ------------- -------------- ------------- -------------
         Name               Shares         Aggregate     Exercis-able  Unexer-cisable Exercis-able  Unexer-cisable
                         Acquired on         Value
                         Exercise (#)     Realized($)

                        --------------- ---------------- ------------- -------------- ------------- -------------
<S>                                  <C>              <C>  <C>                <C>          <C>                 <C>
Eli Harari                           0                0    133,332(2)         75,000       999,990             0
Cindy Burgdorf                       0                0    159,999(3)         30,000     1,589,993             0
Leon Malmed                   10,000            127,500    215,399(4)         30,000     2,334,018             0
Daniel Auclair                       0                0    153,331(5)         30,000     1,433,732             0
Marianne Jackson                     0                0     49,999(6)         15,000       427,492             0
</TABLE>



(1)  Based on the fair market  value of the  Company's  Common Stock at December
     27, 1996,  $12.00 per share,  (the closing  selling  price of the Company's
     Common Stock on that date on the Nasdaq National  Market) less the exercise
     price payable for such shares.
     
(2)  Includes  133,332 shares that are unvested and subject to repurchase by the
     Company.

(3)  Includes  97,499  shares that are unvested and subject to repurchase by the
     Company.

(4)  Includes  44,028  shares that are unvested and subject to repurchase by the
     Company.

(5)  Includes  83,332  shares that are unvested and subject to repurchase by the
     Company.

(6)  Includes  36,250  shares that are unvested and subject to repurchase by the
     Company.


                                      29.
<PAGE>


         REPORT OF THE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

                  The  Compensation  Committee  of the  Board  of  Directors  is
responsible for  establishing  the base salary and incentive cash bonus programs
for the Company's  executive  officers and other key employees and administering
certain  other  compensation  programs  for such  individuals,  subject  in each
instance to review by the full Board.  The  Compensation  Committee also has the
exclusive  responsibility  for the  administration  of the Company's  1995 Stock
Option Plan under which grants may be made to  executive  officers and other key
employees.   The  Compensation   Committee  is  comprised  of  two  non-employee
directors, William V. Campbell and Alan F. Shugart.

         GENERAL  COMPENSATION  POLICY.  The overall policy of the  Compensation
Committee is to provide the Company's executive officers and other key employees
with competitive compensation opportunities based upon their contribution to the
financial  success of the  Company  and their  personal  performance.  It is the
Compensation  Committee's  objective  to  have a  substantial  portion  of  each
officer's compensation contingent upon the Company's performance as well as upon
the officer's own level of performance.  Accordingly,  the compensation  package
for each executive officer and key employee is comprised of three elements:  (i)
base salary which reflects  individual  performance and is designed primarily to
be competitive  with salary levels in effect at companies within and outside the
industry  with which the Company  competes  for  executive  talent,  (ii) annual
variable   performance  awards  payable  in  cash  and  tied  to  the  Company's
achievement of financial and individual performance targets, and (iii) long-term
stock-based incentive awards which strengthen the mutuality of interests between
the executive officers and the Company's stockholders. As an executive officer's
level  of  responsibility  increases,  it is  the  intent  of  the  Compensation
Committee  to  have  a  greater   portion  of  the  executive   officer's  total
compensation be dependent upon Company  performance and stock price appreciation
rather than base salary.

         Factors.  The  principal  factors  which  the  Compensation   Committee
considered  in   establishing   the  components  of  each  executive   officer's
compensation  package  for the  1996  fiscal  year  are  summarized  below.  The
Compensation  Committee may, however, in its discretion apply entirely different
factors,  particularly different measures of financial  performance,  in setting
executive compensation for future fiscal years.

         * Base  Salary.  For  comparative  compensation  purposes  for the 1996
fiscal  year,  the  Compensation  Committee  selected a peer group of  companies
within the industry  which are  comparable  in size and growth  pattern with the
Company and which compete with the Company for executive talent. The base salary
for each officer was then determined on the basis of the following factors:  the
salary  levels in effect for  comparable  positions at the peer group  companies
(determined  on the  basis  of their  published  1995  fiscal  year  data),  the
experience and personal  performance  of the officer and internal  comparability
considerations.  The  weight  given  to  each of  these  factors  differed  from
individual to individual, as the Compensation Committee deemed appropriate.  The
compensation level for the Company's executive officers for the 1996 fiscal year
ranged from the 50th percentile to the 75th percentile of the base salary levels
in effect for  executive  officers with  comparable  positions at the peer group
companies, based on the published 1995 fiscal year data for those companies.

         In selecting  companies to survey for such compensation  purposes,  the
Compensation  Committee  considered  many factors not directly  associated  with
stock  price  performance,  such  as  geographic  location,  development  stage,
organizational  structure and market  capitalization.  For this reason, there is
not a meaningful  correlation  between the  companies  included  within the peer
group  identified  for  comparative  compensation  purposes  and  the  companies
included  within the S&P Electronics  Semiconductor  Index which the Company has
selected  as the  industry  index for  purposes of the stock  performance  graph
appearing later in this Proxy Statement.

         * Annual  Incentive  Compensation.  Annual  bonuses  are earned by each
executive officer on the basis of the Company's achievement of certain corporate
financial   performance   targets  established  for  the  fiscal  year  and  the
individual's level of performance. For fiscal year 1996, a minimum of 75% of the
bonus was earned on the basis of Company  performance  and the  remaining 25% on
the basis of individual  performance.  Company  performance  was measured on the
basis of  pre-tax  profit  (exclusive  of  royalties)  and net  revenue  targets
established 

                                      30.
<PAGE>


by the Compensation  Committee at the start of the 1996 fiscal year, and each of
those targets was exceeded for the year.  Accordingly,  the  executive  officers
were awarded the bonuses  indicated for them in the Summary  Compensation  Table
which appears earlier in this proxy statement.

         * Long-Term Incentive  Compensation.  Long-term incentives are provided
through stock option  grants.  The grants are designed to align the interests of
each  executive  officer  with  those  of  the  stockholders  and  provide  each
individual  with  a  significant  incentive  to  manage  the  Company  from  the
perspective of an owner with an equity stake in the business.  Each grant allows
the individual to acquire shares of the Company's  common stock at a fixed price
per share (the market  price on the grant date) over a specified  period of time
(up to 10 years). Each option generally becomes exercisable in installments over
the executive officer's continued employment with the Company.  Accordingly, the
option will  provide a return to the  executive  officer  only if the  executive
officer  remains  employed by the Company during the applicable  vesting period,
and then only if the market price of the underlying shares  appreciates over the
option term.

         The  number of shares  subject to each  option  grant is set at a level
intended to create a meaningful  opportunity  for stock  ownership  based on the
officer's current position with the Company,  the size of comparable awards made
to  individuals  in similar  positions  within the  industry,  the  individual's
potential for increased  responsibility  and promotion over the option term, and
the  individual's  personal  performance  in recent  periods.  The  Compensation
Committee  also takes into  account the number of unvested  options  held by the
executive  officer in order to maintain an appropriate level of equity incentive
for that individual.  However, the Compensation Committee does not adhere to any
specific  guidelines  as to  the  relative  option  holdings  of  the  Company's
executive officers.

         CEO  COMPENSATION.  In  setting  Dr.  Harari's  base  salary  as  Chief
Executive Officer for the 1996 fiscal year, the Compensation Committee sought to
achieve two objectives:  (i) establish a level of base salary  competitive  with
that paid to other chief executive officers of the peer group companies and (ii)
make a significant  percentage of the total compensation package contingent upon
Company performance.  The base salary established for Dr. Harari on the basis of
the foregoing criteria was intended to provide him with a level of stability and
certainty each year. Accordingly,  this element of Dr. Harari's compensation was
not affected to any significant degree by Company performance factors and was at
the 50th  percentile  of the base  salary  levels  in  effect  for  other  chief
executive  officers at the same peer group of companies surveyed for comparative
compensation  purposes.  The remaining  components of the compensation earned by
Dr.  Harari for the 1996  fiscal year were  entirely  dependent  upon  financial
performance and provided no dollar guarantees. The cash bonus paid to Dr. Harari
for the 1996 fiscal year was based primarily on the Company's achievement of the
operating  profit  and  revenue  targets  established  for  that  year  and  the
Compensation  Committee's assessment of his individual performance for the year.
A stock option for an  additional  75,000  shares of Common Stock was granted to
Dr.  Harari on December  16, 1996 in order to bring his level of unvested  stock
option  holdings to a level the  Compensation  Committee  deemed  appropriate to
provide him with a meaningful  incentive to remain in the  Company's  employ and
contribute  to the  financial  success of the Company in the form of stock price
appreciation.

                                      31.
<PAGE>


         COMPLIANCE WITH INTERNAL REVENUE CODE SECTION 162(M). Section 162(m) of
the Internal Revenue Code, enacted in 1993,  generally disallows a tax deduction
to publicly-held  companies for compensation paid to certain executive officers,
to the extent that compensation  exceeds $1 million per officer in any year. The
compensation paid to the Company's  executive  officers for the 1996 fiscal year
did not exceed the $1 million  limit per  officer,  and it is not  expected  the
compensation to be paid to the Company's  executive officers for the 1997 fiscal
year will exceed that limit.  In addition,  the Company's 1995 Stock Option Plan
is structured so that any  compensation  deemed paid to an executive  officer in
connection  with the exercise of his or her  outstanding  options under the 1995
Plan with an exercise  price per share equal to the fair market  value per share
of the  Common  Stock  on the  grant  date  will  qualify  as  performance-based
compensation which will not be subject to the $1 million limitation.  Because it
is very  unlikely  that the cash  compensation  payable to any of the  Company's
executive officers in the foreseeable future will approach the $1 million limit,
the Compensation Committee has decided at this time not to take any other action
to limit  or  restructure  the  elements  of cash  compensation  payable  to the
Company's  executive officers.  The Compensation  Committee will reconsider this
decision  should the  individual  compensation  of any  executive  officer  ever
approach the $1 million level.

         William V. Campbell, Compensation Committee Member
         Alan F. Shugart, Compensation Committee Member

           COMPENSATION COMMITTEE INTERLOCKS AND INSIDER PARTICIPATION

         The  Compensation  Committee of the  Company's  Board of Directors  was
formed in June 1990 and is comprised of Messrs.  William V. Campbell and Alan F.
Shugart.  Neither of these individuals was at any time during fiscal 1996, or at
any other time, an officer or employee of the Company.  No executive  officer of
the  Company  serves  as a member  of the  board of  directors  or  compensation
committee of any other entity that has one or more executive officers serving as
a member of the Company's Board of Directors or Compensation Committee.

                 EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS, TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT
                        AND CHANGE-IN-CONTROL AGREEMENTS

         None of the Company's  executive  officers have  employment  agreements
with the Company,  and their  employment  may be  terminated  at any time at the
discretion of the Board of Directors.  Pursuant to the express provisions of the
1995 Stock Option Plan, the outstanding  options under the 1995 Plan held by the
Chief  Executive  Officer  and  the  Company's  other  executive  officers  will
immediately  accelerate in full, and all unvested  shares of Common Stock at the
time held by such individuals  under the 1995 Plan will immediately vest, in the
event their employment were to be terminated (whether involuntarily or through a
forced  resignation)  within  twelve (12) months  after any  acquisition  of the
Company  by merger or asset  sale in which  those  options  and  shares  did not
otherwise  vest.  In  addition,  the  Compensation  Committee  of the  Board  of
Directors has the authority as Plan  Administrator of the 1995 Stock Option Plan
to provide for the accelerated vesting of the outstanding options under the 1995
Plan held by the Chief  Executive  Officer  and the  Company's  other  executive
officers and the immediate vesting of all unvested shares of Common Stock at the
time held by such individuals under the 1995 Plan, in the event their employment
were to be terminated  (whether  involuntarily or through a forced  resignation)
following a  successful  tender offer for more than fifty  percent  (50%) of the
Company's outstanding Common Stock or a change in the majority of the Board as a
result of one or more contested elections for Board membership.


                                      32.
<PAGE>


                                PERFORMANCE GRAPH

         The following graph compares the cumulative total stockholder return on
the  Common  Stock of the  Company  with that of the  Standard & Poors 500 Stock
Index,   a  broad   market   index   published   by  S&P,  and  a  selected  S&P
Electronics/Semiconductor  company  stock  index  compiled  by Morgan  Stanley &
Company.  The comparison for each of the periods  assumes that $100 was invested
on November 7, 1995 (the date of the Company's  initial public  offering) in the
Company's  Common Stock,  the stocks included in the S&P 500 Stock Index and the
stocks  included  in the  S&P  Electronics/Semiconductor  company  index.  These
indices,  which  reflect  formulas  for  dividend  reinvestment  and weighing of
individual stocks, do not necessarily  reflect returns that could be achieved by
individual investors.

                   COMPARISON OF CUMULATIVE TOTAL RETURN FROM
                     NOVEMBER 7, 1995 TO DECEMBER 27, 1996.

                     AMONG SANDISK, S&P 500 STOCK INDEX AND
                   S&P ELECTRONICS SEMICONDUCTOR COMPANY INDEX



                       SanDisk         S&P Electronics
     Date            Corporation      Semiconductor Index   S&P 500
   ---------         -----------      -------------------   -------
                                      (% Index)
   7-Nov-95             100.00               100.00         100.00
   5-Dec-95             215.00                88.87         105.35
   2-Jan-96             160.00                80.01         105.87
   30-Jan-96            192.50                76.13         107.48
   27-Feb-96            148.75                81.25         110.39
   26-Mar-96            127.50                75.71         111.37
   23-Apr-96            130.00                82.72         111.13
   21-May-96            160.00                90.82         114.81
   18-Jun-96            126.25                92.28         112.92
   16-Jul-96            101.25                85.53         107.17
   13-Aug-96            117.50                94.38         112.60
   10-Sep-96            115.00                92.38         113.22
   8-Oct-96             145.00               111.10         119.50
   5-Nov-96             143.75               119.41         121.80
   3-Dec-96             142.50               141.16         127.62
   27-Dec-96            120.00               147.91         129.07


         Notwithstanding  anything  to  the  contrary  set  forth  in any of the
Company's  previous filings under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Exchange Act
that might incorporate future filings,  including this Proxy Statement, in whole
or  in  part,  the  preceding   Compensation   Committee   Report  on  Executive
Compensation  and the preceding  Performance  Graph shall not be incorporated by
reference into any such filings;  nor shall such Report or graph be incorporated
by reference into any future filings.


                                      33.
<PAGE>


                              CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS

         In  January  1993,  the  Company  entered  into  an  equity  investment
agreement with Seagate Technology,  Inc.  ("Seagate")  pursuant to which Seagate
acquired a 25% ownership interest in the Company,  calculated on a fully diluted
basis. Until July 15, 1997, Seagate has agreed to standstill  provisions and has
the right to maintain a 25%  ownership  interest.  Pursuant  to this  right,  on
November 13, 1995,  Seagate acquired 1,084,750 shares of Common Stock at a price
per share of $10.00.  Seagate has agreed,  until July 15,  1997,  not to solicit
proxies in opposition of management,  initiate stockholder proposals, enter into
any voting agreements or act in concert with any other person for the purpose of
acquiring,  holding or disposing of the Company's securities without the consent
of the Company,  and the Company is prevented,  prior to such date, from selling
more than 5% of its equity securities to certain competitors of Seagate.

         As  long  as  Seagate  owns  at  least  10%  of  the  Company's  voting
securities,  on a fully  diluted  basis,  the Company is required to include one
nominee  selected by Seagate in the slate of nominees  for election as directors
at each  annual  meeting  of  stockholders  of the  Company  and to use its best
efforts to cause to be voted in favor of the election of such nominee the shares
for which management holds proxies or is otherwise  entitled to vote. As long as
Seagate  continues such 10%  ownership,  the Company must also notify Seagate of
any negotiations  with or proposals from potential  acquirors and has agreed not
to enter into any  agreements  that  preclude  the Company from  negotiating  an
acquisition  by Seagate or that  provide for a break-up fee in the event of such
negotiation with Seagate.  As long as Seagate holds at least 303,030 shares,  as
adjusted for subsequent stock splits,  stock dividends and the like, Seagate has
granted  the  Company a right of first  offer with  respect  to future  sales or
exchanges by Seagate in any tender offer opposed by the Board of Directors  that
would result in the person or group making the tender offer owning more than 25%
of the Company's voting securities, on a fully diluted basis.

         The Company  believes that all of the transactions set forth above were
made on terms no less  favorable  to the Company  than could have been  obtained
from   unaffiliated   third  parties.   The  Company  intends  that  all  future
transactions,  including loans, between the Company and its officers, directors,
principal  stockholders  and their  affiliates  be approved by a majority of the
Board of Directors,  including a majority of the independent  and  disinterested
outside  directors on the Board of Directors,  and be on terms no less favorable
to the Company  than could be  obtained  from  unaffiliated  third  parties.  In
addition,  the Company has entered into indemnification  agreements with each of
its directors and executive officers.

                                      34.
<PAGE>


                                 OTHER BUSINESS

         The  Board  of  Directors  knows  of no  other  business  that  will be
presented for consideration at the Annual Meeting. If other matters are properly
brought before the Annual Meeting,  however,  it is the intention of the persons
named in the accompanying proxy to vote the shares  represented  thereby on such
matters in accordance with their best judgment.

                              STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS

         Proposals  of  stockholders  that are  intended to be  presented at the
Company's  annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 1998 must be received by
December  22,  1997 in order to be  included  in the proxy  statement  and proxy
relating to that meeting.

                                BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS




                                /s/ Cindy Burgdorf

                                CINDY BURGDORF
                                Chief Financial Officer,  Senior Vice President,
                                Finance and Administration and Secretary
                                                              
                                March 12, 1997


                                      35.



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