WELLCO ENTERPRISES INC
DEF 14A, 1999-10-20
FOOTWEAR, (NO RUBBER)
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                            WELLCO ENTERPRISES, INC.
                               150 Westwood Circle
                                  P.O. Box 188
                        Waynesville, North Carolina 28786


                                October 15, 1999


                            NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING
                                       OF
                                  STOCKHOLDERS


The annual meeting of stockholders of Wellco  Enterprises,  Inc. will be held in
the cafeteria of the Company's  Waynesville,  North Carolina,  plant, located at
150 Westwood Circle,  on Tuesday,  November 16, 1999, at 3:00 P.M., EST, for the
purpose of taking  action on the  election  of  directors  as more  particularly
described in the  accompanying  Proxy  Statement  and such other  matters as may
properly come before the meeting.

Only  stockholders  of record at the close of business on October 15, 1999, will
be  entitled to vote at the  meeting.  This  Notice and the  accompanying  Proxy
Statement are being mailed to stockholders on approximately October 22, 1999.

                                     By Order of the Board of Directors

                                     RICHARD A. WOOD, JR.
                                     SECRETARY



               YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT. EVEN IF YOU DO NOT PLAN TO
                  ATTEND THE MEETING, PLEASE RETURN YOUR SIGNED
                                     PROXY!



Please  complete  and  promptly  return  your  Proxy  in the  postpaid  envelope
provided.  This will not prevent you from  voting in person at the  meeting.  It
will, however, help to assure a quorum and avoid added proxy solicitation costs.







<PAGE>



                            Wellco Enterprises, Inc.
                               150 Westwood Circle
                                  P.O. Box 188
                        Waynesville, North Carolina 28786

                                 PROXY STATEMENT

The  accompanying  proxy is  solicited  by the  Board  of  Directors  of  Wellco
Enterprises,  Inc.  (the  "Company")  for use at the  1999  Annual  Stockholders
Meeting of the Company,  to be held on November 16, 1999, and at any adjournment
thereof.  The cost of  solicitation  will be borne by the  Company.  ChaseMellon
Shareholder  Services,  the transfer agent for the Company, has been retained to
assist in obtaining proxies,  including proxies from brokerage houses and others
with  respect to shares  registered  in their  names but  beneficially  owned by
others, by such means as ChaseMellon deems appropriate, at a cost to the Company
presently  estimated  at  $3,000.  Such  brokerage  houses  and  others  will be
reimbursed  for  their  out-of-pocket  expenses  incurred.  Proxies  may also be
solicited by some directors,  officers or employees of the Company, in person or
by mail, telephone or telefax, without extra compensation to them.

The shares represented by the proxies received will be voted at the meeting,  or
any  adjournment  thereof.  On matters  coming  before the meeting as to which a
choice  has been  specified  by the  stockholder  by means of the  ballot on the
proxy,  the shares  represented  will be voted  accordingly.  If no choice is so
specified,  the shares  will be voted in favor of the  matters  set forth in the
foregoing notice of meeting. Management does not know of any other matters which
will be  presented  for  action at the  meeting,  but the  persons  named in the
accompanying  proxy  intend to vote or act with  respect  to any other  proposal
which may be presented  for action,  and matters  incident to the conduct of the
meeting,  according to their  judgment in light of  conditions  then  prevailing
except as to election of substitute  nominees for director,  as to which proxies
will be voted for nominees  designated as hereinafter  stated.  Executed proxies
may be revoked by written  revocation  or later  dated  proxy  delivered  to the
Secretary prior to or at the meeting. Also,  stockholders who are present at the
meeting may withdraw their proxies and vote in person if they so desire.

Stockholders  of record at the close of business on October  15,  1999,  will be
entitled to vote at the meeting. On that date, there were outstanding  1,163,246
shares of the Company's  common stock.  Each stockholder is entitled to one vote
for each  share of  stock on all  matters  to be  presented  at the  meeting.  A
plurality vote of the shares represented at the meeting,  in person or by proxy,
is  necessary  for the  election  of each  director.  Cumulative  voting  is not
available at the meeting.

Stockholders  having  questions  concerning  the matters to be considered at the
meeting are invited to telephone the Company at (828) 456-3545, extension 102.



                               BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Company's Board of Directors  consists of nine directors  divided into three
classes  with each class  having  three  directors  serving  for a term of three
years.


                                       -2-

<PAGE>



In August, 1999 Mr. William D. Schubert, a Director of Wellco since 1990 serving
in Class I, died.  Mr. John D.  Lovelace has been  recommended  by your Board of
Directors  for  election  to serve the  remaining  two  years of Mr.  Schubert's
unexpired term.

Your  Board of  Directors  unanimously  recommends  the  reelection  of James T.
Emerson, David Lutz and Fred K. Webb, Jr. as Class II directors whose terms will
expire  in 2002,  and the  election  of John D.  Lovelace  to serve as a Class I
director  whose term will expire in 2001. All of said nominees have consented in
writing to serve if elected.

The class, period of service as a director,  age and principal occupation for at
least the past five years of each  nominee for  director  and each person  whose
term of office as a director will continue after the meeting are as follows:

NOMINEES FOR ELECTION:

Class I Director Whose Term  Expires in 2001:

John D. Lovelace is the Vice-President  (since 1987) of  Credit/Collections  for
United  Leasing  Corporation,  a company  primarily  engaged  in the  leasing of
equipment and is 50 years of age. Prior to joining United Leasing,  he served as
Assistant Vice  President of Retail Banking for United  Virginia Bank. He is the
nephew of Director Emerson and the cousin of Director/Vice President Webb.

Class II Directors Whose Term Expires in 2002:

James T.  Emerson  has been a Director of the Company  since  January,  1996 and
previously served as a Director from 1988 until 1993, and is 77 years of age. He
was an industrial instrumentation engineer and consultant (retired 1983), and is
an investor.  He is the uncle of  Director/Vice  President Fred K. Webb, Jr. and
Director Nominee John D. Lovelace.

David Lutz has been a Director of the Company since January, 1996 and previously
served as a Director from 1984 until 1992.  He is President and Chief  Operating
Officer and  Treasurer of the Company  (since  October  1996) and is 54 years of
age. He served as Executive Vice President and Treasurer of the Company from May
until  October,  1996,  as  Secretary/Treasurer  from 1986 until May 1996 and as
Controller from 1974 until 1986.

Fred K. Webb, Jr. has been a Director of the Company since January,  1996. He is
Vice President of Marketing of the Company (since February 1999) and is 39 years
of age. He  previously  held the position of Special  Projects  Manager with the
Company ( August 1998 until February 1999).  Before joining the Company,  he was
employed as an Accounting  Team Leader (since 1995) and Senior Staff  Accountant
(since 1989) for United Guaranty Corporation (an insurance holding company).  He
is the nephew of Director  James T.  Emerson and the cousin of Director  Nominee
John D. Lovelace.

DIRECTORS CONTINUING IN OFFICE:

Class III Directors  for Term Expiring  in 2000:

Claude S.  Abernethy,  Jr. has been a  Director  of the  Company  since 1997 and
previously  served as a Director from 1976 until 1994 and is 72 years of age. He
is Senior Vice President of IJL Wachovia (a securities  brokerage  firm),  and a
Director of Ridgeview, Inc., Air Transportation
                                       -3-

<PAGE>



Holdings,  Inc. and Director  Emeritus of IJL  Wachovia,  a division of Wachovia
Securities, Inc.

Horace  Auberry has been a Director of the Company since 1964 and is 68 years of
age. He is  Chairman,  Board of  Directors  and Chief  Executive  Officer of the
Company  (since  October,  1996) and was Chairman of the Board of Directors  and
joint Chief Executive Officer from 1968 until October, 1996.

Rolf  Kaufman has been a Director  of the Company  since 1962 and is 69 years of
age. He was President of the Company and joint Chief Executive Officer from 1968
until  October  1996.  Upon his  retirement  from the  position of  President on
September  30,  1996,  Mr.  Kaufman was elected by the Board of Directors to the
position of Vice Chairman,  Board of Directors. As Vice Chairman, Mr. Kaufman is
retired from full time employment as President,  while still being significantly
involved in several areas of the Company's business affairs.

Class I Directors Whose Term Expires  in 2001:

William M. Cousins,  Jr. has been a Director of the Company since 1990 and is 75
years of age. He is President  (since  1974) of William M.  Cousins,  Jr.,  Inc.
(management consultants),  a Director (since 1991) of Alba-Waldensian,  Inc. (an
apparel  manufacturing  company) and a director of Biospere Medical, Inc. (since
1994).

J. Aaron  Prevost has been a Director of the Company  since 1973 and is 88 years
of age. He is a retired  Senior Vice  President of First Union  National Bank of
North Carolina, Waynesville, N.C.

A Final  Judgement of Permanent  Injunction was filed on July 23, 1996 in the U.
S. District Court for the Western  District of North  Carolina,  under which Mr.
Prevost and an  associate  voluntarily  consented  to  permanently  restrain and
enjoin themselves from violating Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934,  as amended,  and the rules  promulgated  thereunder.  The  Judgement  was
entered  after  the  filing  of a  Complaint  by  the  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission  alleging  that in 1993  Mr.  Prevost  gave  said  associate  certain
non-public  information  about the  Company  that was used by the  associate  to
purchase the  Company's  stock.  The  Judgement  required  Mr.  Prevost to pay a
disgorgement  amount of $3,387 plus  prejudgement  interest and a like amount in
civil penalty.

It is intended that shares  represented by the accompanying  Proxy will be voted
for election of the above nominees  unless  authority for such vote is withheld.
In the event that any nominees  should  become unable to serve or for good cause
will not serve,  it is intended  that such  shares will be voted for  substitute
nominees designated by the present Board of Directors of the Company.


                          BOARD AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS

During the  Company's  last full fiscal  year,  there was one regular  (the 1999
Annual) and four special  meetings of the Board of Directors.  In addition,  the
Company has for a number of years followed the practice, permissible under North
Carolina  corporation  law, of  approving  corporate  resolutions  by  unanimous
written consent without meeting. One such resolution was adopted by the Board of
Directors during the Company's last full fiscal year.

The  Company  has a standing  Audit  Committee  of the Board of  Directors.  All
directors not otherwise

                                       -4-

<PAGE>



associated with the Company as an officer, employee or consultant are designated
as members of the Audit  Committee.  Accordingly,  Directors  Cousins,  Emerson,
Abernethy,  and  Schubert  (deceased,  August  1999)  were the  members  of such
Committee for the1999 fiscal year with Director Prevost serving as Chairman. The
Audit  Committee  held two meetings  during the  Company's  last fiscal year, at
which representatives of the Company's  independent auditors,  Deloitte & Touche
LLP were  present.  The Audit  Committee  recommends to the Board the firm to be
designated  as the  Company's  auditors,  reviews and  approves the scope of the
annual audit and is responsible  for  considering  any differences of opinion or
disputes  between  management  and said  auditors  which may arise and which are
called to the Committee's attention.

The Board has a standing Compensation Committee,  consisting of the same members
as  the  Audit  Committee  with  Director  Emerson  serving  as  Chairman.   The
Compensation  Committee met once during the Company's last fiscal year to review
and approve the compensation of officers and related matters.

The Company has not established a standing Nominating Committee.


           COMPENSATION COMMITTEE INTERLOCKS AND INSIDER PARTICIPATION

No  member of the  Compensation  Committee  has ever  served  as an  officer  or
employee  of the Company or had any  relationship  requiring  disclosure  by the
Company under any paragraph of Item 404 of Regulation  S-K of the Securities and
Exchange  Commission.  No executive  officer of the Company has ever served as a
director  or member of the  compensation  committee  of any other  entity one of
whose  executive  officers has ever been a member to the Company's  Compensation
Committee or Board of Directors.


                            COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS

Directors'  fees are $3,750 per year;  $1,000 per meeting for each Board meeting
attended in person;  $1,000 per meeting for each committee  meeting  attended in
person  that is held  apart from the day of a Board  meeting;  and $500 for each
committee and Board phone meeting.  Directors who are full-time employees of the
Company do not  receive  any  directors'  fees.  Travel  expenses  of  directors
incurred traveling to and from meetings are reimbursed by the Company.


                              INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

The firm of Deloitte & Touche LLP served as the Company's  independent  auditors
for  the  fiscal  year  ended  July  3,  1999.  Deloitte  &  Touche  LLP and its
predecessor  firm,  Touche Ross & Co.,  have served in this  capacity  since the
Company's  1979-80  fiscal  year.  The  Board  of  Directors  has  not  selected
independent  auditors for the fiscal year  beginning  July 4, 1999. The Board of
Directors  has a policy of  selecting  and engaging  independent  auditors a few
months  prior to the end of the  Company's  fiscal  year.  A  representative  of
Deloitte & Touche LLP has been  requested  and is  expected to be present at the
stockholders  meeting.  Such  representative will have the opportunity to make a
statement  if he or she  desires  to do so and will be  available  to respond to
appropriate questions.


                                       -5-

<PAGE>



STOCK PRICE PERFORMANCE GRAPH

The following  graph compares the  cumulative  total  stockholder  return on the
Company's  common stock to the Standard & Poor's 500 Stock Index and an index of
peer  companies  that produce  nonathletic  footwear.  The Standard & Poor's 500
Stock Index is a broad equity market index  published by Standard & Poor's.  The
index of peer companies was  constructed by the Company and includes the Company
and R. G. Barry;  Brown Shoe,  Inc.;  Genesco,  Inc.;  Daniel Green Co.;  Justin
Industries; McRae Industries;  Penobscot Shoe; Rocky Shoes & Boots, Inc.; Stride
Rite Corp.;  Timberland  Co.;  Weyco Group,  Inc; and  Wolverine  World Wide. In
constructing the peer index,  the return of each component  company was weighted
according to its respective stock market  capitalization.  The graph assumes the
investment  of $100 in the Company's  common stock,  the Standard and Poor's 500
Stock Index and the peer index at the end of the Company's 1994 fiscal year.




Total Stockholder Return
                          1994      1995      1996      1997      1998      1999
WELLCO .............      $100      $109      $152      $267      $236      $185
S & P 500 ..........      $100      $126      $159      $214      $279      $341
PEER GROUP .........      $100      $ 83      $ 92      $155      $159      $128
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Compensation Summary

The following Summary  Compensation Table shows certain  information  concerning
the compensation of each of the Company's highly compensated  executive officers
whose total annual  salary and bonus  exceeded  $100,000  during the last fiscal
year:


                           SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE

                               ANNUAL COMPENSATION

                                                           LONG TERM
                                                   OTHER    COMPENSA-
                                                   ANNUAL  TION-STOCK  ALL OTHER
NAME AND PRINCIPAL                                COMPEN-     OPTION     COMPEN-
POSITION:                 YEAR    SALARY   BONUS  SATION(1)   GRANTS   SATION(2)
Horace Auberry,
Chairman of the Board
and Chief Executive
Officer                   1999  $155,272              $3,353                $964
                          1998  $152,636              $3,305 (3)35,000      $964


                          1997  $150,000  $20,847   $195,661                $964
David Lutz, President,
Chief Operating Officer
and Treasurer             1999  $103,532              $3,365
                          1998  $101,766              $3,690 (4)20,000
                          1997   $94,825  $12,508     $3,605

(1)      Of the 1997 amounts,  $193,075 for Mr. Auberry represents the excess of
         market  price at the date of stock  option  exercise  over the exercise
         price. All other amounts represent reimbursement for income taxes.
(2)      Life  insurance premiums paid by the Company  for benefit of the  named
         executive officer.
(3)      Options  for  15,000  shares  were  immediately  exercisable,  with the
         remaining options exercisable in 1999 - 8,300; 2000 - 8,300; and 2001 -
         3,400.
(4)      Options  for  16,600  shares  were  immediately exercisable,  with  the
         remaining options exercisable in 1999.


Stock Options

There were no grants of stock options during the fiscal year 1999. The following
table shows, on an aggregated basis, for executive officers named in the Summary
Compensation  Table each exercise of stock  options  during the 1999 fiscal year
and the fiscal year-end value of unexercised options.


                                       -6-

<PAGE>




                                              NUMBER OF                 VALUE OF
                                            UNEXERCISED              UNEXERCISED
                                                 OPTION             IN-THE-MONEY
                       SHARES                    SHARES                  OPTIONS
                  ACQUIRED ON     VALUE    EXERCISABLE/             EXERCISABLE/
NAME                 EXERCISE  REALIZED  UNEXERCISEABLE       UNEXERCISEABLE (2)
Horace Auberry            (1)            23,300/11,700                    $0/$0
David Lutz                (1)                 35,000/0               $48,750/$0

(1)      In  fiscal  year  1999,  there  were  no  exercises  of options for the
         executive officers named in the Summary Compensation Table.
(2)      Excess of the total market value at July 2, 1999 of the shares over the
         total exercise price. If no value given,  the market value of shares at
         July 2, 1999 do not exceed the excise price of the options.


Employment  Contracts  and  Termination  of  Employment  and   Change-in-Control
Agreements

The Company does not have employment contracts with any executive officer. There
are no compensation plans or arrangements that will result from the resignation,
retirement or termination of any executive  officer,  or that will result from a
change-in-control  of  the  Company  or a  change  in  any  executive  officer's
responsibilities following a change-in-control.


Long-Term Incentive Plans

The  Company  does  not  have  any type of  long-term  incentive  plans  for any
executive officer or other employee.


Pension Plan

The Company's executive officers and all other salaried employees participate in
an Administrative  Employee Pension Plan (the Plan). Benefits under the Plan are
based on years of service and  average  annual  earnings.  The  following  table
illustrates the amount of annual pension  benefits based on the years of service
and average annual compensation levels shown:

                               PENSION PLAN TABLE

                                YEARS OF SERVICE

AVERAGE
ANNUAL
COMPENSATION   15 YEARS  20 YEARS  25 YEARS  30 YEARS  35 YEARS
$125,000        $15,100   $20,100   $25,100   $30,100   $35,100
$150,000         18,400    24,600    30,700    36,900    43,000
$175,000         21,800    29,100    36,300    43,600    50,900
$200,000         25,200    33,600    42,000    50,400    58,800


The Plan provides benefits based on final average  compensation,  defined in the
Plan as the  average  of the  consecutive  five  highest  of the last ten  years
compensation,   and  on  years  of  service.  Compensation  under  the  Plan  is
essentially  equivalent to the aggregate  amounts  reported as annual salary and
bonus  compensation  in the Summary  Compensation  Table  above.  Total years of
service are limited to 35 and benefits  are computed on a straight  life annuity
basis.  Mr.  Auberry named in the Summary  Compensation  Table has more than the
maximum 35 years of  service.  Mr. Lutz would have more than 35 years of service
under the plan, assuming his employment to age 65.

                          COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT

The  Compensation  Committee (the  Committee) of the Board of Directors  submits
recommendations  to  the  Board  of  Directors  as to the  type  and  amount  of
compensation for two executive  officers of the Company (Mr. Auberry,  Chairman,
Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer and Mr. Lutz, President and Chief
Operating  Officer and Treasurer).  The Committee  consists of all directors not
otherwise associated with the Company and, in the 1999 fiscal year, consisted of
five members including Mr. William D. Schubert (deceased, August 1999).

The   Committee   usually  meets  once  during  a  year  to  consider  and  make
recommendations to the Board of Directors. In the 1999 fiscal year, the Board of
Directors  did  not  modify  or  reject  any  action  or  recommendation  of the
Compensation Committee.

The Committee does not use any compensation  consultants in making its decisions
and  recommendations,  and does  not  relate  compensation  of the  above  named
executive officers to that of any other entity or industry grouping.

Each of the named  executive  officers  receives  an annual  cash bonus which is
based on a specified  percentage of consolidated  net income,  as defined.  Each
executive officer's percentage has remained constant for the past several years.
This results in a  significant  amount of each  executive  officer's  total cash
compensation  being dependent on the Company's  operations.  No one of the above
named executive  officers has a guaranteed or minimum amount of bonus.  Although
not  a  frequent   occurrence,   the  Committee  from  time  to  time  may  give
discretionary additional bonuses for extraordinary achievement.

All officers of the Company  participate  in fringe  benefit plans (group health
insurance, group life insurance and long-term disability) to the same extent and
under the same terms as all other salaried employees of the Company. Mr. Auberry
and Mr. Lutz each receive  perquisites whose value aggregates much less than 10%
of their total annual salary and bonus.

        Submitted by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors


James T. Emerson, Chairman                              Claude S. Abernethy, Jr.
William M. Cousins, Jr.                                         J. Aaron Prevost






                                       -7-

<PAGE>



                               SECURITY OWNERSHIP

The  number of shares of common  stock  (the  Company's  only  voting  security)
beneficially owned or held under option by (a) all executive officers, directors
and nominees  for director and (b) each person or entity  owning more than 5% of
the outstanding shares of common stock (including persons or entities who may be
deemed  a group  for  purposes  of the  federal  securities  laws),  as known by
management of the Company, based upon information furnished to the Company by or
on behalf of such person or entity,  as "beneficial  ownership" is defined under
Rule  13d-3  under  the  Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934,  is set forth in the
following table:


         AMOUNT AND NATURE OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP ON SEPTEMBER 30, 1999

                                   SOLE
                                 VOTING       SHARED
                                    AND   VOTING AND        TOTAL       PERCENT
                            DISPOSITIVE  DISPOSITIVE   BENEFICIAL            OF
NAME                              POWER     POWER (1)   OWNERSHIP      CLASS (4)
Officers and Directors:
Horace Auberry (2) and (3)       93,265        1,540       94,805          7.47%
David Lutz * (2) and (3)         35,000        4,500       39,500          3.11%
Fred K. Webb, Jr.* (3)            2,700                     2,700          0.21%
Directors :
James T. Emerson *              717,672                   717,672         56.53%
Rolf Kaufman (2) and (3)         57,220        6,600       63,820          5.03%
Claude S.  Abernethy, Jr. (3)     2,000        7,000        9,000          0.71%
J. Aaron Prevost (3)              5,500                     5,500          0.43%
William M. Cousins, Jr.           2,000                     2,000          0.16%
Officers:
Sven E. Oberg (3)                 7,800                     7,800          0.61%
Richard A. Wood, Jr.              3,600                     3,600          0.28%
Tammy Francis (3)                10,000                    10,000          0.79%
All Officers and Directors as a
Group (11)                                                                75.33%
Owners of More Than 5% of
the Company's Common
Shares:

*        Nominee for election to the Board of Directors.
(1)      Shares owned jointly with spouse and shares held by spouse and children
         over whom the listed person may have substantial influence by reason of
         the relationship are shown as shared voting and dispositive power.
(2)      Employees  of the  Company  participate  in a  September  6,  1990 plan
         approved by the Board of Directors under which any employee-stockholder
         has the option of redeeming shares  beneficially  owned as of said date
         and shares  subsequently issued under stock options outstanding at that
         date.  The  redemption  right occurs at the  employee's  death or other
         separation  from  employment  other  than for cause and the  redemption
         price is the  Company's  net book value per  share,  as defined in said
         plan, at the time of termination ($5.36 at July 3, 1999).

                                       -8-

<PAGE>


         The total of shares  owned by all  officers  subject  to this plan are:
         Auberry, 15,450; Kaufman, 55,320; and Lutz, 4,500.
(3)      The  following  officers and directors  beneficially  own the following
         shares from an unexercised  fully  exercisable  option to acquire these
         shares:  Auberry - 23,300;  Lutz - 35,000;  Kaufman - 2,000;  Abernethy
         -2,000;  Prevost - 2,000;  Webb - 2,000;  Oberg - 5,000  and  Francis -
         10,000.
(4)      Percent of  total shares  outstanding (1,163,246)  and shares  issuable
         under options exercisable within 60 days (91,300).






STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS FOR THE 2000 ANNUAL MEETING

Proposals of qualified  stockholders  intended to be presented at the  Company's
2000  Annual  Stockholders  Meeting  must be received  by the  Secretary  at the
address  stated herein no later than July 1, 2000, in order to be considered for
inclusion in the Company's Proxy Statement and Proxy for that meeting.


                                        By Order of the Board of Directors

                                        RICHARD A. WOOD, JR.
                                        Secretary

Waynesville, North Carolina
October 15, 1999







A copy of the Company's  1999 Form 10-K (Annual Report filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission) is available at no charge to any stockholder requesting
it.  Requests  should be made in writing and addressed to the Secretary,  Wellco
Enterprises, P. O. Box 188, Waynesville, NC 28786.










                                       -9-

<PAGE>
APPENDIX
FORM OF PROXY





                            WELLCO ENTERPRISES, INC.
                P. O. Box 188, Waynesville, North Carolina 28786
           THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
         FOR THE ANNUAL STOCKHOLDERS MEETING, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1999

The  undersigned  hereby  acknowledges  receipt of Notice of  Meeting  and Proxy
Statement each dated October 15, 1999, of the 1999 annual  stockholders  meeting
of Wellco Enterprises, Inc., and hereby revokes all proxies heretofore given for
said meeting and appoints Claude S. Abernethy,  Jr., William M. Cousins, Jr. and
J. Aaron Prevost, (and each of them with full power of substitution,  or any one
or more of them acting in the absence of the others) as attorneys and proxies of
the undersigned to represent,  vote and act for the undersigned as designated on
the back of this proxy with  respect to all shares of the stock of said  Company
which the  undersigned is entitled to vote at the annual meeting of stockholders
of the  Company  to be held  in the  cafeteria  of the  Company's  plant  at 150
Westwood  Circle,  Waynesville,  North Carolina,  at 3:00 P.M., EST, on Tuesday,
November 16, 1999 or at any adjournment thereof.



          (Continued, and to be marked, dated and signed on other side)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                    FOLD AND DETACH HERE. RETURN THIS PORTION

                                                            Please mark
                                                            your vote as
                                                            indicated in
                                                            this example    X

ITEM 1:  Your  Board of  Directors  recommends  a vote FOR the  election  of the
following Directors:  Class I, term expiring in 2001: John D. Lovelace Class II,
term expiring in 2002: James T. Emerson, David Lutz and Fred K. Webb, Jr.

 __________FOR ALL NOMINEES, except as marked below

 __________WITHHOLD AUTHORITY to vote for all nominees

             To withhold  authority to vote for any Director  nominee(s),  print
the name(s) below:

________________________________________________________________________________



IF NOT OTHERWISE SPECIFIED,  THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED FOR THE ABOVE AS SET FORTH
IN THE PROXY STATEMENT AND THE HOLDERS HEREOF WILL EXERCISE THEIR  DISCRETION AS
TO ALL OTHER ITEMS OF BUSINESS WHICH MAY COME BEFORE THE MEETING.

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________
Signature of Stockholder(s)

Date_______________________________,1999

NOTE: SIGN NAME EXACTLY AS IT APPEARS HEREON AND DATE.  Co-owners must all sign.
Attorneys, executors,  administrators,  trustees, guardians, etc. should sign in
official capacity and give title.

                            WELLCO ENTERPRISES, INC.
                P. O. Box 188, Waynesville, North Carolina 28786

The  annual  meeting  will be held on  November  16,  1999 at 3:00  P.M.  in the
cafeteria of the  Company's  plant at 150 Westwood  Circle,  Waynesville,  North
Carolina.

YOUR VOTE IS VERY IMPORTANT. PLEASE MARK, SIGN, AND DATE THE ABOVE, AND
RETURN IT IN THE ENVELOPE PROVIDED.


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