SOFTWORKS INC
PRE 14A, 1999-04-30
PREPACKAGED SOFTWARE
Previous: ACTUATE SOFTWARE CORP, 10-Q, 1999-04-30
Next: VISTA ENERGY RESOURCES INC, DEF 14A, 1999-04-30



                                  SCHEDULE 14A

                     Information Required in Proxy Statement

                            SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
           Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities
                              Exchange Act of 1934

Filed by the Registrant [X]
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant [ ]

Check the appropriate box:

[X] Preliminary Proxy Statement
[ ] Definitive Proxy Statement
[ ] Definitive Additional Materials
[ ] Soliciting Material Pursuant to Section 240.14a-11(c) or Section 240.14a-2.

                                SOFTWORKS , Inc.
                (Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
[X] No fee required.
[ ] Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and 0-11.
1)  Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3) Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction  computed pursuant to
Exchange Act Rule 0-11:
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5) Total fee paid:
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[ ]  Fee paid previously with preliminary materials 
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[ ]  Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act
     Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the
     offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by 
     registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule, and the
     date of its filing.
1)   Amount Previously Paid: __________________________________________________
2)   Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.: ____________________________
3)   Filing Party: ____________________________________________________________
4)   Date Filed: ______________________________________________________________

<PAGE>

                                 SOFTWORKS, Inc.

                    NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
                                  June 21, 1999

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

To the Stockholders of
SOFTWORKS, Inc.

     The Annual  Meeting of  Stockholders  of  SOFTWORKS,  Inc.  will be held on
Monday,  June 21, 1999 at The  Hampton  Inn,  Alexandria-Oldtown  South,  5821
Richmond  Highway,  Alexandria,  Virginia 22303 at 10:00 a.m.  Stockholders will
vote on:

1.   The election of one director to Class II of the Board of Directors to serve
     until the 2002 Annual  Meeting of  Stockholders  or until his successor has
     been duly elected and qualified; and

2.   A proposal to amend article FOURTH of the Certificate of  Incorporation  to
     reduce the number of authorized  shares of common stock from 152,000,000 to
     52,000,000.

     Stockholders  will also vote on any other  business  as may  properly  come
before the meeting or any adjournments or postponements of the meeting.

     Only  stockholders  of  record on the  books of  SOFTWORKS  at the close of
business on May __,  1999 will be  entitled to vote at the Annual  Meeting or at
any  adjournments.  Please  sign,  date and  return the  enclosed  proxy at your
earliest convenience so that your shares are voted as you specify.

                                   By Order of the Board of Directors,

                                   Judy G. Carter
                                   President and Chief Executive Officer

Dated: Alexandria, Virginia
May __, 1999

<PAGE>
                                 SOFTWORKS, Inc.
                              5845 Richmond Highway
                           Alexandria, Virginia 22303

                         ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
                              Monday, June 21, 1999

                                 PROXY STATEMENT

      Our Annual Meeting of Stockholders will be on Monday, June 21, 1999 at The
 Hampton Inn,  Alexandria-Oldtown South,  5821 Richmond  Highway,  Alexandria,
 Virginia  22303 at 10:00 a.m.,  for the purposes set forth in the  accompanying
 Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders.  Our Board of Directors is soliciting
 the enclosed proxy for use at the annual meeting.  This proxy statement and the
 enclosed proxy are being mailed to stockholders beginning about May __, 1999.

      If you  sign  and  return a proxy in the  accompanying  form,  the  shares
 represented  by your  proxy will be voted the way you  specify.  You may revoke
 your proxy prior to its exercise  either by sending a letter to  SOFTWORKS,  by
 delivering a subsequent proxy or by voting in person at the annual meeting.

 Voting Rights

     Only  stockholders of record on May __, 1999 (the "Record  Date"),  will be
entitled to vote at the annual meeting or at any  adjournment or postponement of
the annual  meeting.  On the Record Date, we had outstanding one class of voting
securities, namely 16,132,734 shares of common stock, $.001 par value, excluding
treasury  shares.  You are  entitled to one vote for each share of common  stock
registered in your name. In order to elect directors,  the affirmative vote of a
majority of the votes cast at the meeting is  required.  In order to approve the
proposed  amendment to our certificate of  incorporation  reducing the number of
authorized  shares, the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares outstanding
is required. In order to determine whether proposals requiring a majority of the
votes cast at the meeting have received a majority vote, abstentions will not be
included in the vote totals,  and in instances where brokers are prohibited from
exercising discretionary authority for beneficial owners who have not returned a
proxy (so called  "broker  non-votes"),  those votes will not be included in the
vote totals. Consequently,  abstentions and broker non-votes will not effect the
vote for directors,  but will be counted in the  determination of a quorum.  The
effect of an abstention  and a broker  non-vote is the same as a vote  "against"
the proposal to amend our certificate of incorporation.

      To the knowledge of the Board of Directors, who are soliciting your proxy,
 the only persons who own of record or  beneficially  as of the Record Date more
 than five (5%) percent of our outstanding  common stock, were Computer Concepts
 Corp.,  80 Orville Drive,  Bohemia,  New York 11716,  which  beneficially  owns
 7,817,000  shares,  representing  48.7% of our  outstanding  common  stock  and
 Spinneret  Financial Systems,  Inc, 578 Post Road East,  Westport,  Connecticut
 06880,  which  beneficially  owns 1,000,000  shares,  representing  6.2% of our
 outstanding common stock.

                                       1

<PAGE>

                              ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

     Our  by-laws  provide for a Board of  Directors  of not less than three nor
more than nine  directors,  classified  into three  classes  as nearly  equal in
number as possible,  whose terms of office expire in successive years. Our Board
of Directors now consists of five directors, with directors in each class as set
forth below:



       Class I                   Class II                   Class III
(To Serve Until the         (To Serve Until the        (To Serve Until the
 Annual Meeting of           Annual Meeting of          Annual Meeting of 
 Stockholders in 1999)      Stockholders in 2000)      Stockholders in 2001)
- ----------------------      ---------------------      ---------------------

 Robert Devine (1)(2)     James A. Cannavino (1)(2)     Charles Feld (1)(2)
                          Judy G. Carter
 ----------
(1) Member of Audit Committee. 
(2) Member of the Compensation Committee.

     Robert Devine,  who is now a director in Class I, is nominated for election
to hold office  until our annual  meeting of  stockholders  in 2002 or until his
successor  is chosen and  qualified.  Shares which are  represented  by executed
proxies in the form enclosed will be voted, unless otherwise indicated,  for the
election as a director of Mr.  Devine unless he is  unavailable,  in which event
the  shares  represented  by the proxy  will be voted for a  substitute  nominee
designated  by the Board of  Directors.  The Board of Directors has no reason to
believe  that Mr.  Devine will be  unavailable  or, if elected,  will decline to
serve.

     Directors who are not employed by us receive a fee of $2,000 for each Board
of  Directors or Committee  meeting  which he or she attends.  During our fiscal
year  ended  December  31,  1998,  there  were  five  meetings  of the  Board of
Directors,  two  meetings  of  the  audit  committee  and  one  meeting  of  the
compensation  committee.  Each director  attended or  participated in all of the
Board of Directors meetings and applicable committee meetings during the term of
his or her directorship. Our audit committee is involved in discussions with our
independent certified accountants with respect to the year end audited financial
statements. We do not have a nominating committee.

                                       2
<PAGE>

     The following  information,  including stock  ownership,  is submitted with
respect  to  our  directors,  each  executive  officer  named  in  the  "Summary
Compensation Table" and for all executive officers and directors as a group:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                          Common Stock
                                                    Beneficially Owned as of
                                                               4/27/99
                                  Director          Number          
  Name                  Age        Since            of Shares       Percentage 
  ----                  ---       --------          ----------      ----------- 
<S>                     <C>     <C>                  <C>               <C>     <C>
James A. Cannavino      54      April 1998            607,469           3.7%    (1)
Judy G. Carter          46      October 1993          208,000           1.3%    (2)
C.R. Kinsey, III        53           --               266,666           1.6%    (3)
Robert C. McLaughlin    53           --                48,333            *      (4)
Robert Devine           59      May 1998               42,000            *      (5)
Charles Feld            56      July 1998              42,000            *      (5)
All Directors and 
  Officers as
  a Group (6 persons)                               1,214,468           7.0%    (1)(2)(3)(4)
                                                                                (5)(6)
- -----------
<FN>
*   No  officer  or  director  owns more than one  percent  of our issued and
    outstanding common stock unless otherwise indicated.

(1) Includes options currently exercisable or exercisable within  60 days to 
    purchase 500,000 shares of common stock.

(2) Includes options currently exercisable or exercisable within  60 days to 
    purchase 208,000 shares of common stock.

(3) Includes options currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days to 
    purchase 266,666 shares of common stock. 

(4) Includes options currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days to 
    purchase 48,333 shares of common stock.

(5) Includes options currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days to 
    purchase 42,000 shares of common stock.

(6) The  address of each  officer  and  director  listed  above is c/o
    SOFTWORKS,   Inc.,  5845  Richmond  Highway,  Suite  400,  Alexandria,
    Virginia 22303.
</FN>
</TABLE>

Principal Occupations of Directors

     James A.  Cannavino  has been our Chairman of the Board since April,  1998.
Mr.  Cannavino is President and Chief  Executive  Officer of CyberSafe,  Inc., a
corporation  specializing  in network  security.  He was the President and Chief
Executive Officer of Perot Systems  Corporation  through July 1997, and prior to
that  was  a  Senior  Vice  President  at  IBM,  responsible  for  strategy  and
development.  He  also  served  on the IBM  Corporate  Executive  Committee  and
Worldwide  Management Council, and on the board of IBM's integrated services and
solutions company.  Mr. Cannavino currently is a consultant to Computer Concepts
Corp.  and serves on the boards of National  Center for  Missing  and  Exploited
Children, 7th Level, Inc. and Marist College.

     Judy G. Carter has been our  President  and Chief  Executive  Officer and a
director since October,  1993. Prior thereto, Ms. Carter was our Chief Operating
Officer from 1991. Ms. Carter started with us as a system software developer and
progressed into a number of supervisory and managerial roles, culminating in her
appointment  as Vice  President of technical  services in 1990.  Ms. Carter is a
director of Fairfax Opportunities Unlimited, a non-profit organization.

                                       3

<PAGE>

     Robert Devine has been a director  since May,  1998.  Mr. Devine has been a
director and the Chief Executive Officer of Chemtainer Industries, Inc. for more
than twenty years.  Chemtainer Industries manufactures and distributes a diverse
array of commercial and consumer products  nationally and  internationally  with
eleven plants located in nine states throughout the United States. Mr. Devine is
also a director  of  Rototron  Corp.  and Tracey  International,  and has been a
director  and  vice-president  of the  non-profit  New York City  Mental  Health
Association for more than ten years.

     Charles  Feld has been a  director  since  July,  1998.  Mr.  Feld has been
President of the Feld Group,  Inc., a provider of  temporary  chief  information
officer consulting services,  for more than the past five years. Since December,
1997, Mr. Feld has also served as operating Chief  Information  Officer of Delta
Air Lines.  Prior thereto,  from June 1992 until August 1997, Mr. Feld served as
operating Chief Information Officer for Burlington Northern Santa Fe. Corp.

                           MANAGEMENT

Officers of SOFTWORKS

  Our officers are:

           Name                              Position Held  
           ----                              -------------

     James A. Cannavino                 Chairman of the Board
     Judy G. Carter                     President and Chief Executive Officer
     C.R. Kinsey, III                   Vice President, Secretary and Chief
                                        Technology Officer
     Robert C. McLaughlin               Treasurer (Chief Financial Officer)
- ----------

     C.R.  Kinsey,  III, one of our  co-founders,  has been Vice President since
May, 1998 and has been Secretary and Chief  Technology  Officer since 1977. From
1977 until May,1998, Mr. Kinsey was also our Treasurer.  In addition, Mr. Kinsey
is a primary  technical  advisor  to our  technology  division  for new  product
research and development, product enhancements and services and support.

     Robert C.  McLaughlin  has been our Treasurer and Chief  Financial  Officer
since March, 1998. Prior thereto,  Mr. McLaughlin was a Department Director with
global  responsibilities  at Perot  Systems  Corporation  in Dallas,  Texas from
November, 1996 through December, 1997. Mr. McLaughlin also served as Senior Vice
President for a real estate investment venture in West Palm Beach,  Florida from
1993 to 1996, as Vice President of First Union National Bank of Florida, N.A. in
Fort  Lauderdale from 1991 to 1993 and a Vice President of Southeast Bank, N. A.
in Miami from 1987 to 1991.

     For a  description  of the business  experience  of Mr.  Cannavino  and Ms.
Carter, see "Principal Occupations of Directors" on page 3.

                                       4

<PAGE>

Executive Compensation

     The following table sets forth the annual and long-term  compensation  with
respect to our Chief  Executive  Officer and our other most  highly  compensated
executive  officer  other than the Chief  Executive  Officer  ("named  executive
officers") whose total annual salary and bonus equaled or exceeded  $100,000 for
services rendered for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1998.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                           Summary Compensation Table

                                                                          Annual Compensation
                                                                          -------------------
                                                                    Other Annual       All Other
                                                                    Compensation     Compensation
Name and Principal Position      Year   Salary($)      Bonus($)        ($)(1)           ($)(2)
- ---------------------------      ----   ---------      --------     -------------    -------------   

<S>                              <C>    <C>            <C>               <C>          <C> 
 Judy G. Carter
 President and                   1997   $ 155,000(3)   $ 165,000(4)       -            $   1,000
 Chief Executive Officer         1998   $ 170,833

 C.R. Kinsey, III
 Vice-President, Secretary       1997   $ 155,000(3)   $ 165,000(4)       -            $ 189,000
 and Chief Technology Officer    1998   $ 170,833                                      $ 114,611

<FN>

(1)  No Other Annual  Compensation  is shown because the amounts of  perquisites
     and other  non-cash  benefits  provided  by us do not  exceed the lesser of
     $50,000 or 10% of the total annual base salary and bonus  disclosed in this
     table for the respective officer.
(2)  All Other  Compensation  includes  royalties  paid in respect  of  software
     products developed by such officers.
(3)  Includes $5,000 deferred from 1996.
(4)  Includes $77,500 deferred from 1996.
</FN>
</TABLE>


                                       5

<PAGE>


Employment Agreements

     We have entered into an agreement with Mr. James A.  Cannavino  pursuant to
which  he has  agreed  to serve  as  Chairman  of our  board  of  directors.  As
compensation  for his services,  Mr.  Cannavino was granted  options to purchase
1,200,000  shares  of common  stock,  600,000  of which  are Type I options  and
600,000 of which are Type II options.  "Type I" options  vested  one-half on the
earlier of (i) the closing date of our initial public offering (August 7, 1998),
or (ii)  December 31, 1998 and one-half on December 31, 1998.  "Type II" options
vest on December 31,  2002,  subject to earlier  vesting  based upon the company
reaching certain defined levels of net income.  The agreement with Mr. Cannavino
further  provides for the issuance of a $500,000  full  recourse loan to him for
relocation  or other  purposes  upon the  effective  date of our initial  public
offering. The money was lent to Mr. Cannavino and the loan is due on December 1,
2000.  Mr.  Cannavino also receives a monthly salary of $2,000 and is reimbursed
for certain expenses.

     We have entered  into  employment  agreements  with each of Judy G. Carter,
C.R. Kinsey,  III and Robert C. McLaughlin,  which started on the effective date
of our initial public  offering.  The employment  agreements with Ms. Carter and
Mr.  Kinsey  terminate  December 31, 2002 and the  employment  agreement for Mr.
McLaughlin  is for a three year term.  The  agreements  automatically  renew for
additional one year periods  unless we or the employee  notifies the other party
at least ninety days prior to the end of any renewal term that we or they desire
to terminate such agreement. Pursuant to the agreements, Ms. Carter, Mr. Kinsey,
Mr. McLaughlin, receive annual compensation of $200,000, $200,000, and $120,000,
respectively  and an  incentive  bonus based on meeting or  exceeding  annual or
quarterly net income targets to be  established  by the board of directors.  The
incentive payments to Ms. Carter and Mr. Kinsey were up to $150,000 for 1998 and
are up to $200,000  for each of the years 1999  through  2002.  Each  employment
agreement also provides for certain  payments  following death or disability and
further provides,  in the event of a change in control of SOFTWORKS,  as defined
therein, the right, at the employee's  election,  to terminate the agreement and
receive a lump sum  payment  of  approximately  three  times  his or her  annual
salary.  

401(k) Savings Plan 

     We sponsor a retirement  plan (the "401(k)  Savings  Plan")  intended to be
qualified under section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
All employees over age 21 who have completed at least 1,000 hours in their first
year of employment by us are eligible to participate in the 401(k) Savings Plan.
Employees may  contribute to the 401(k)  Savings Plan on a tax deferred basis up
to 20% of their  total  annual  salary,  but in no event  more than the  maximum
permitted  by the  Code  ($10,000  in  calendar  1998).  We match  all  employee
contributions up to $2,375 per year per employee,  and all company contributions
are fully  vested.  As of  December  31,  1998,  115  employees  had  elected to
participate  in the 401(k)  Savings Plan. For the fiscal year ended December 31,
1998,  our  contribution  is an  aggregate  approximately  $77,000 to the 401(k)
Savings Plan, of which an aggregate  $18,800. 

1998 Long Term  Incentive Plan

     In May, 1998, we adopted the SOFTWORKS,  Inc. 1998 Long Term Incentive Plan
(the "1998  Incentive  Plan") in order to motivate our qualified  employees,  to
help us attract employees and to align the interests of those employees with our
stockholders'  interests.  

     The 1998 Incentive Plan provides for the grant of "incentive stock options"
within the meaning of the Section 422 of the Internal  Revenue Code of 1986,  as
amended, "non-qualified stock options," restricted stock, performance grants and
other  types of  awards  to our and our  affiliates'  officers,  key  employees,
consultants and independent contractors.

     The 1998 Incentive  Plan,  which is administered by the Long Term Incentive
Plan Administrative Committee of our board of directors, authorizes the issuance
of a maximum of  3,727,000  shares of common  stock,  which may be either  newly

                                       6


<PAGE>

issued shares, treasury shares,  reacquired shares, shares purchased in the open
market or any  combination  thereof.  If any award under the 1998 Incentive Plan
terminates,  expires  unexercised,  or is cancelled,  the shares of common stock
that would otherwise have been issuable  pursuant  thereto will be available for
issuance  pursuant to the grant of new awards.  To date, we have granted options
to purchase  3,718,850  shares of common stock under the 1998 Incentive Plan. Of
the  3,718,850  options  granted to date,  James A.  Cannavino  has been granted
600,000 Type I options and 600,000 Type II options, Judy Carter has been granted
150,000 Type I options and 200,000 Type II options, C.R. Kinsey has been granted
200,000  Type I options and 250,000  Type II options and Robert  McLaughlin  has
been granted 20,000 Type I options and 80,000 Type II options. Mr. Cannavino has
exercised  200,000 Type I options.  

1999 Stock  Option Plan 

     In January, 1999 we adopted the 1999 Stock Option Plan (the "1999 Plan") in
order to motivate our employees,  and to help us attract  employees and to align
the interests of those employees with our stockholders' interests.

     The 1999 Plan provides for the grant of non-qualified  stock options to our
officers, key employees, consultants and independent contractors.

     The 1999 Plan,  which will be  administered  by our board of directors or a
committee of our board, authorizes the issuance of a maximum of 1,250,000 shares
of common  stock,  which may be either newly  issued  shares,  treasury  shares,
reacquired  shares,  shares  purchased  in the open  market  or any  combination
thereof. If any award under the 1999 Plan terminates,  expires,  unexercised, or
is  cancelled,  the shares of the common  stock that would  otherwise  have been
issuable  pursuant thereto will be available for issuance  pursuant to the grant
of new awards. To date, we have granted options to purchase  1,001,440 shares of
common stock under the 1999 Plan.  

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation 

     During our last fiscal year, our Compensation  Committee consisted of James
A. Cannavino, Charles Feld and Robert Devine. Neither Mr. Feld nor Mr. Devine is
our employee.

Stock Option  Grants in Last Fiscal Year 

     The following table sets forth details regarding the options granted during
our last fiscal year to Judy G. Carter and C.R. Kinsey,  III, the persons listed
in the Summary Compensation Table.

<TABLE> 
<CAPTION>
                                                                             Potential Realizable Value at Assumed
                                                                            Annual Rates of Stock Price Appreciation
                                        Individual Grants                             for Option Term (2)
                        --------------------------------------------       ------------------------------------------
                                       Percent of        Exercise
                                      Total Options      Price Or
                    Options            Granted to        Base Price      Expiration         
      Name          Granted(#)        Employees (1)      Per Share          Date              5%             10%
      ----          ----------       --------------     -----------      ----------     -------------    ----------- 

<S>                 <C>                 <C>               <C>              <C>            <C>             <C>            
Judy G. Carter (3)  150,000  Type I                                        06-30-01       $  126,758      $  296,720     
                    200,000  Type II                                       12-31-02          288,146         671,595    
                    -------                                                               ----------      ----------
                    350,000               9.7%             $7.00                          $  414,904      $  968,315

C.R. Kinsey, III(3) 200,000  Type I                                        06-30-01       $  169,011      $  395,626
                    250,000  Type II                                       12-31-02          360,183      $  839,494
                    -------                                                               ----------      ----------
                    450,000              12.4%             $7.00                          $  529,194      $1,235,120

<FN>
(1)  We granted options for 3,613,850 shares to employees during our fiscal year
     ended December 31, 1998.

(2)  Potential  realizable value assumes that our stock price increases from the
     date the  options  were  granted  until the end of the  option  term at the
     annual rate specified.  Annual compounding results in total appreciation of

                                       7
<PAGE>
 
     15.2% (at 5% per year) for the Type I options  with a term of 2.9 years and
     total appreciation (at 5% per year) of 24.0% for the Type II options with a
     term of 4.4 years; and 31.8% total  appreciation (at 10% per year) for Type
     I options with a term of 2.9 years and total appreciation (at 10% per year)
     of 52.1% for the Type II Options with a term of 4.4 years.  If the price of
     our common  stock  increased at such rates from the price at the end of our
     1998 fiscal year  ($7.06 per share)  over the next three  years,  our stock
     price  with  5%  appreciation  would  be  $8.23  per  share  and  with  10%
     appreciation  would be $9.46 per share. These assumed rates of appreciation
     are  specified  in the  Commission's  rules  and are not  our  estimate  or
     projection of our future stock price growth.

(3)  We granted  options  for  25,000  shares  each to Judy G.  Carter and C. R.
     Kinsey III in February 1999, which amounts are not included in this table.
</FN>
</TABLE>


Aggregate Option/SAR Exercises in Last Fiscal Year and Fiscal Year-End 
Option/SAR Values

  The following table sets forth information concerning options exercised during
the year ended December 31, 1998, by the named executive  officers and the value
of unexercised options held by them as of December 31, 1998:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                     Value of Unexercised
                      Number of Unexercised               In-The-Money
                         Options/SARs at                Options/SARs at
                          Fiscal Year End              Fiscal Year End(1) 
                   ---------------------------    ---------------------------- 
 Name              Exercisable   Unexercisable    Exercisable    Unexercisable
 ----              -----------   -------------    -----------    -------------   
<S>                  <C>            <C>           <C>            <C>       
Judy G. Carter       150,000        200,000       $1,059,375     $1,412,500
C.R. Kinsey III      200,000        250,000        1,412,500      1,765,625

- ---------- 
<FN>
(1) Based upon the  closing  price of our common  stock of $7.0625 on
    December 31, 1998.
</FN>
</TABLE>

               BOARD OF DIRECTORS REPORT ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

     Our  compensation  committee  did  not  take  action  during  1998  and all
compensation  decisions  were made by our entire Board of Directors,  subject to
applicable employment agreements.

General Policies

     Our compensation  programs are intended to enable us to attract,  motivate,
reward and  retain  the  management  talent  which we  require  to  achieve  our
corporate  objectives,  and thereby increase stockholder value. Our policy is to
provide  incentives  to our senior  management  to achieve both  short-term  and
long-term objectives and to reward exceptional  performance and contributions to
the development of our businesses.  To attempt to attain these  objectives,  our
executive   compensation   program   includes  a  competitive  base  salary  and
stock-based compensation. See "Management-Employment Agreements" on page 6.

     Stock options are granted to employees,  including our executive  officers,
under the SOFTWORKS 1998 Long Term Incentive Plan and 1999 Stock Option Plan. We
believe  that stock  options  provide an incentive  that focuses an  executive's
attention on managing from the  perspective  of an owner with an equity stake in
the business.  Options  granted at the time of our initial public  offering were
awarded at the initial public  offering  price.  Options awarded after that date
were awarded at the market price on the date of the grant.  Among our  executive
officers,  the number of shares  subject to options  granted to each  individual
generally depends upon the level of that officer's  responsibility.  The largest
grants are awarded to the most senior  officers who, in the view of the Board of
Directors, have the greatest potential impact on our profitability and growth.

                                       8
<PAGE>

Compensation Policies for Our Executive Officers

     The Board of Directors  established,  subject to any applicable  employment
agreements,  the salaries which were paid to our executive officers for the past
fiscal year. We expect that the Compensation  Committee will establish  salaries
to be paid to our executive  officers,  subject to their employment  agreements,
during the coming year. In setting salaries,  the Board's  decisions  concerning
the specific  1998  compensation  elements for  individual  executive  officers,
including  our  President  and Chief  Executive  Officer,  were made taking into
account several factors,  including competitive compensation data, the extent to
which an individual may participate in our stock plans, and qualitative  factors
bearing  on  an  individual's  experience,   responsibilities,   management  and
leadership  abilities,  and job performance.  In all cases,  specific  decisions
involving  executive officer  compensation were based upon the Board's judgement
about the  individual  executive  officer's  performance  and  potential  future
contributions,  and about whether each  particular  payment or award would be an
appropriate  reward and  incentive  for the  executive to sustain or enhance our
long-term performance. 

Basis for Compensation of Our Chief Executive Officer

     For fiscal 1998, pursuant to the terms of her employment agreement with us,
Judy G. Carter,  our  President  and chief  executive  officer,  received a base
salary  of  $170,833.  In  light  of this  employment  agreement,  the  Board of
Directors  was  not  required  to  make  any  decision  regarding  Ms.  Carter's
compensation.  Ms. Carter also received  options to purchase  350,000  shares of
common stock at the initial public offering price of $7.00 per share.  The Board
of Directors  believes that stock options provide an incentive for Ms. Carter to
maximize long-term shareholder value. 

          The Board of Directors: 

               James A. Cannavino  
               Judy G. Carter 
               Robert Devine 
               Charles Feld

Compliance with Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act

     Section  16(a)  of  the  Exchange  Act  requires  our  executive  officers,
directors and persons who own more than ten percent of a registered class of our
equity securities ("Reporting Persons") to file reports of ownership and changes
in ownership  on Forms 3, 4 and 5 with the  Securities  and Exchange  Commission
(the "SEC").  These Reporting  Persons are required by SEC regulation to furnish
us with copies of all Forms 3, 4 and 5 they file with the SEC. Based solely upon
our review of the  copies of the forms we have  received,  we  believe  that all
Reporting  Persons  complied  on a timely  basis  with all  filing  requirements
applicable to them with respect to transactions during fiscal 1998.

                                       9

<PAGE>

                            COMMON STOCK PERFORMANCE

     The following graph provides a comparison of cumulative  stockholder return
among  SOFTWORKS,  The Nasdaq  Stock  Market  index and the  Standard and Poors'
Computers (Software and Services) index from August 3, 1998 to March 31, 1999:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                             Cumulative Total Return
                                             -----------------------

                                        8/3/98    9/98     12/98    3/99

<S>                                       <C>       <C>      <C>      <C>  
SOFTWORKS, INC.                           100       71       101      204  
NASDAQ STOCK MARKET (U.S.)                100       91       119      133
S & P COMPUTERS (SOFTWARE & SERVICES)     100      100       124      159     
</TABLE>


              PROPOSAL TO AMEND THE CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION TO
                   DECREASE AUTHORIZED SHARES OF COMMON STOCK

     The Board of Directors  has proposed  and  recommended  that you approve an
amendment to Article "FOURTH" of our certificate of incorporation decreasing the
total  number of shares of common  stock which we are  authorized  to issue from
152,000,000  shares to 52,000,000  shares,  of which 50,000,000  shares shall be
shares of common stock of the par value of $.001 per share and 2,000,000  shares
shall be shares of  Preferred  Stock of the par value of $.001 per  share.  This
proposed  amendment to our certificate of  incorporation is indicated on Exhibit
"A" annexed to this proxy  statement. 

     The Board of Directors has proposed this  amendment to our  certificate  of
incorporation  in order to reduce the amount of annual  franchise taxes which we
pay to the  State  of  Delaware.  At the  time  that we were  reincorporated  in
Delaware,  it was  determined  that it was  advisable  to have a large number of
authorized shares to provide us with additional flexibility for possible capital
reorganization,  acquisitions,  refinancings,  exchanges of  securities,  public
offerings and other  corporate  purposes.  We  subsequently  discovered that the
franchise  taxes  payable  for such a large  number  of  authorized  shares  are
approximately $90,000 a year. We believe that, based on the 16,132,734 shares of
common  stock  presently  outstanding  and the  4,977,000  shares  reserved  for
issuance  under our stock  option  plans,  we are  unlikely to need such a large
number  of  authorized  shares  in the near  future.  

     Accordingly, the Board of Directors, which recommends that you approve this
amendment,  believes  it would be to our  advantage  to  reduce  the  number  of
authorized shares in order to reduce related expenses.

     The proposed  amendment to our  certificate of  incorporation,  as amended,
must be approved by a majority of our outstanding  common stock entitled to vote
on this matter at the meeting.

     The Board of Directors recommends a vote "FOR" this proposed amendment.

                                       10

<PAGE>


                            MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

     Arthur  Andersen  LLP, our  independent  auditors for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 1998, has advised us that a representative  of the firm plans to be
present at the annual meeting, with the opportunity to make a statement if he or
she desires to do so, and will be available to respond to appropriate questions.
As of the date of this proxy  statement,  the Board of Directors does not intend
to present at the meeting any matters not  referred to in the form of proxy.  If
any  proposal  not set forth in this proxy  statement  should be  presented  for
action at the meeting,  we intend that the shares represented by proxies will be
voted  with  respect to such  matters in  accordance  with the  judgment  of the
persons voting them.

     We will pay the cost of  soliciting  proxies in the  accompanying  form. In
addition  to  solicitation  by use of the  mails,  certain of our  officers  and
regular  employees  may  solicit  proxies by  telephone,  telegraph  or personal
interview. We may also request brokerage houses, other custodians,  nominees and
fiduciaries to forward  soliciting  material to the  beneficial  owners of stock
held of record by such persons, and may make reimbursement for payments made for
their expense in forwarding soliciting material to such beneficial owners.

     Stockholder   proposals   with  respect  to  our  next  annual  meeting  of
stockholders must be received by us no later than [120 days before mailing date]
to be considered for inclusion in our next proxy statement.

     A copy of our annual report has been mailed to every  stockholder as of the
Record  Date.  Our  annual  report  is not  to be  considered  proxy  soliciting
material. 

                                   By Order of the Board of Directors, 
                                   Judy G. Carter 
                                   President and Chief Executive Officer

Dated: May __, 1999
Alexandria, Virginia

                                       11

<PAGE>


                                                           Exhibit "A"

                        PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO SOFTWORKS'
                          CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

     The following  sets forth the changes to paragraph (a) of Article  "FOURTH"
of  SOFTWORKS'  Certificate  of  Incorporation  if  the  proposed  amendment  is
approved:

               "FOURTH:  (a) The total  number of shares of all classes of stock
     which the  corporation  shall have authority to issue is FIFTY-TWO  MILLION
     (52,000,000)  shares. Of these (i) FIFTY MILLION  (50,000,000) shares shall
     be shares of common stock of the par value of $.001 per share; and (ii) TWO
     MILLION  (2,000,000)  shares shall be shares of Preferred  Stock of the par
     value of $.001 per share.



















                                      A-1

<PAGE>


                                 SOFTWORKS, INC.

     The  undersigned  hereby  appoints James A.  Cannavino and Judy Carter,  or
either of them, attorneys and Proxies with full power of substitution in each of
them, in the name and stead of the undersigned to vote as Proxy all the stock of
the  undersigned  in  SOFTWORKS,  Inc.,  a Delaware  corporation,  at the Annual
Meeting  of  Stockholders  scheduled  to be  held  on  June  21,  1999  and  any
adjournments thereof.

                  (Continued and to be signed on reverse side)

                                                           SEE REVERSE
                                                              SIDE

<PAGE>



PLEASE MARK YOUR
/X/ VOTES AS IN THIS
   EXAMPLE

The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR the following proposals: 

1.  Election of the following nominee, as set forth in the proxy statement
    NOMINEE: Robert Devine

                                        FOR            WITHHOLD
                                        / /               / /
                                   all  nominees       authority
                                   listed below        to vote


     (Instruction:  To withhold  authority to vote for any  individual  nominee,
print the nominee's name on the line provided below)

- -----------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Proposal to amend our Certificate of Incorporation to decrease the number 
   of authorized shares of the Corporation from 152,000,000 to 52,000,000

               For             Against        Abstain
                / /              / /             / /

3. Upon such other  business  as may  properly  come  before the  meeting or any
   adjournment  thereof.  

THE SHARES  REPRESENTED  HEREBY SHALL BE VOTED BY PROXIES,  AND EACH OF THEM, AS
SPECIFIED AND, IN THEIR DISCRETION, UPON SUCH OTHER MATTERS AS MAY PROPERLY COME
BEFORE  THE  MEETING.  STOCKHOLDERS  MAY  WITHHOLD  THE  VOTE  FOR  ONE OR  MORE
NOMINEE(S) BY WRITING THE NOMINEE(S)  NAME(S) IN THE BLANK SPACE PROVIDED ABOVE.
IF NO  SPECIFICATION  IS MADE,  THE SHARES WILL BE VOTED FOR THE  PROPOSALS  SET
FORTH ABOVE.

PLEASE DATE, SIGN AND RETURN THIS PROXY IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE 

SIGNATURE _____________________________________________________________________

SIGNATURE(S) __________________________________________________________________
DATED: __________________________________________________________________, 1999

(Note:   Please  sign   exactly  as  your  name   appears   hereon.   Executors,
administrators,  trustees,  etc.  should so indicate when  signing,  giving full
title as such. If a signer is a  corporation,  execute in full corporate name by
authorized officer.  If shares are held in the name of two or more persons,  all
should sign.)



© 2022 IncJournal is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission