CITY NATIONAL BANCSHARES CORP
DEF 14A, 1998-03-27
STATE COMMERCIAL BANKS
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                      CITY NATIONAL BANCSHARES CORPORATION
                                900 Broad Street
                            Newark, New Jersey 07102


                    NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
                      to be held on Thursday, May 21, 1998



Notice is hereby given that the Annual Meeting (the  "Meeting") of  Stockholders
of City National Bancshares Corporation (the "Corporation") will be held at City
National Bank of New Jersey (the "Bank"),  located at 900 Broad Street,  Newark,
New  Jersey,  on  Thursday,  May 21,  1998,  at 6:00  p.m.  for the  purpose  of
considering and voting upon the following matters:

(1)      The election of three directors named in the accompanying Proxy 
         Statement to serve as directors until their successors are elected
         and qualified

(2)      Ratification of the appointment of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP as independent
         auditors for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1998

(3)      Such other business as shall properly come before the Meeting, or any
         adjournments thereof.

Stockholders  of record at the close of business on April 14, 1998 are  entitled
to notice of and to vote at the meeting. Each share of such stock is entitled to
one vote.  Whether or not you will attend the Meeting,  it is suggested that you
execute and return the enclosed  proxy to the  Corporation.  You may revoke your
proxy at any time  prior  to the  exercise  of the  proxy by  delivering  to the
Corporation a later dated proxy or by delivering a written  notice of revocation
to the Corporation prior to or at the meeting.

For a period of 10 days prior to the meeting,  a stockholders' list will be kept
at the  Corporation's  principal office and shall be available for inspection by
stockholders  during normal business hours. A stockholder  list shall be present
and available for inspection at the Meeting.

The  Corporation's  Proxy  Statement and its 1997 Annual Report to  Stockholders
accompany this Notice.

                                              By order of the Board of Directors



                                              Lemar C. Whigham
Newark, New Jersey                            Secretary
April 21, 1998

<PAGE>

                                 PROXY STATEMENT
                      CITY NATIONAL BANCSHARES CORPORATION
                                900 Broad Street
                                Newark, NJ 07102

                             SOLICITATION OF PROXIES

The  accompanying  proxy is solicited by and on behalf of the Board of Directors
of City  National  Bancshares  Corporation  (the  "Corporation")  for use at the
Annual Meeting (the "Meeting") of  Stockholders to be held on Thursday,  May 21,
1998, at 6:00 p.m.,  at City  National Bank of New Jersey,  located at 900 Broad
Street, Newark, New Jersey or at any adjournment thereof.

Voting and revocability of proxy
A form of proxy is enclosed for use at the meeting if a stockholder is unable to
attend in person.  Each proxy may be revoked at any time before its  exercise by
giving written notice to the Secretary of the Corporation.  A subsequently dated
proxy will, if properly  presented,  revoke a prior proxy.  Any  stockholder may
attend the meeting and vote in person whether or not a proxy has previously been
turned in. Where a choice or  abstention  is specified in the form of proxy with
respect to a matter being voted upon,  the shares  represented  by proxy will be
voted  in  accordance  with  such  specification.  If a proxy is  signed  but no
specification is given, the shares will be voted for the director nominees named
herein and in favor of the proposals  set forth in the Notice of Annual  Meeting
of Stockholders.

Only  holders  of  record  of the  Corporation's  common  stock at the  close of
business on April 14, 1998 (the "Record  Date"),  are entitled to notice of, and
to vote at, the Annual  Meeting.  At the close of business  on the Record  Date,
there were  outstanding  and entitled to vote,  114,141  shares of common stock,
each of which is entitled to one vote. A majority of the  outstanding  shares of
common stock will constitute a quorum for the purposes of the Meeting.

For purposes of counting votes,  abstentions  will be treated as shares that are
present and  entitled  to vote for  purposes of  determining  the  presence of a
quorum, but as unvoted for purposes of determining the approval of this proposal
by the  stockholders.  If a broker or  nominee  indicates  that it does not have
discretionary  authority to vote on this  Proposal as to certain  shares,  those
shares will be counted for general quorum purposes but will not be considered as
present and entitled to vote with respect to this proposal.

                      BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF COMMON STOCK

The following table sets forth certain  information  with respect to each person
known to the Corporation,  to be a beneficial owner of more than five percent of
the Corporation's common stock as of March 15, 1998.

                                    Number of Shares         Percentage of Total
Name                                Beneficially Owned       Shares Outstanding
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Louis E. Prezeau                        13,773(1)                   11.87%

Lemar C. Whigham                         9,122(2)                    7.99

Carolyn Whigham                          8,495                       7.44

Eugene Giscombe                          7,100                       6.22

United Negro College Fund, Inc.          6,800                       5.96

(1) Includes  unexercised  stock options to acquire 1,900 shares of common stock
and 603 shares held by his sons,  40 shares held by his  daughter and 610 shares
held by his wife.
(2)  Includes 950 shares held by his wife.
                                   PROPOSAL 1
                              ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
The Board of  Directors  of the  Corporation  is divided  into three  classes of
approximately  equal  size.  Directors  are elected  for  three-year  terms on a
staggered  basis,  so that the term of office of one class will expire each year
at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders  when a successor is elected and qualified
and the terms of office of the other classes will extend for additional  periods
of one and two years, respectively.


Vote Required
The affirmative vote of the holders of a plurality of the shares of common stock
of the  Corporation,  present in person or by proxy, and entitled to vote at the
Meeting is required to elect the directors.

Stockholders  will elect three  directors at the Meeting.  Messrs.  Jeffries and
Whigham  along with Ms.  Coleman  will be elected to serve until the 2001 Annual
Meeting of  Stockholders.  It is intended that the proxies will be voted for the
aforementioned  nominees,  or if any  nominee is unable or  declines to serve as
director at the time of election,  for any  substitute  nominee  selected by the
Board of Directors of the  Corporation.  The Board has no reason to believe that
any nominee will be unable or unwilling to serve if elected.

Information  is  presented  below  as of March  15,  1998,  as to age,  business
experience,  the  number  of  shares  of City  National  Bancshares  Corporation
beneficially  owned and the period  during which each director has served on the
Board of City  National  Bancshares  Corporation  and City  National Bank of New
Jersey  (the  "Bank")  as well as the  number  of shares  of such  common  stock
beneficially owned by all "named" officers.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

  Name of Director            Age  Director    Term     Business Experience                            Number of     Percentage of
                                   Since       Ends                                                       Shares      Total Shares
                                                                                                                      Outstanding
- --------------------------- ------ ----------- -------- -------------------------------------------- ------------ -----------------
<S>                          <C>      <C>       <C>      <C>                                           <C>              <C> 
Douglas E. Anderson          48       1989      1999    Senior Vice President, Chase Manhattan            225                  *
                                                        Bank
Barbara Bell Coleman         47       1995      1998    Retired                                           168                  *
Leon Ewing                   69       1973      2000    President, Ewing Bonding Agency                 2,340(1)             2.05%
Eugene Giscombe              57       1991      1999    President, Giscombe Henderson, Inc.             7,100                6.22
                                                        (property management firm)President, 103
                                                        East 125th Street Corporation (property
                                                        holding company)
Norman Jeffries              55       1989      1998    Fiscal Manager, Newark Preschool Council,         174                 *
                                                        Inc.
Louis E. Prezeau             54       1989      1999    President and Chief Executive Officer,         13,773(2)            11.87
                                                        City National Bank of New Jersey and City
                                                        National Bancshares Corporation
Lemar C. Whigham             53       1989      1998    President, L & W Enterprises (vending           9,122(3)             7.99
                                                        machine operations)
Directors and executive                                                                                36,000               31.02(4)
officers as a group (9
persons)

<FN>
(1)  Includes 1,790 shares held by Mr. Ewing individually and 550 shares held jointly with his wife.
(2)  Includes unexercised stock options to acquire 1,900 shares of common stock and 603 shares held by his sons, 40 shares held by
     his daughter and 610 shares held by his wife.
(3)  Includes 950 shares held by his wife.
(4)  The number of shares of common stock used in calculating  the percentage of
     total shares owned includes  116,041 shares of common stock  outstanding as
     of March 15, 1998 plus 1,900  shares  purchasable  pursuant to  unexercised
     options.
*    Less than 1%
</FN>
</TABLE>

Committees of the Board of Directors
All  directors  of the  Corporation  are also  directors  of the  Bank.  Regular
meetings of the Corporation and the Bank are held monthly.  Additional  meetings
are held when deemed necessary.  In addition to meeting as a group to review the
Corporation's business,  certain members of the Board also devote their time and
talents to certain  standing  committees.  Because the Board of Directors of the
Corporation has no committees,  their functions were fulfilled by the committees
of the Board of Directors  of the Bank.  Messrs.  Giscombe and Prezeau  serve as
ex-officio members of all committees except for the  Audit/Examining  Committee.
Committee members, other than ex-officio members and principal functions of each
committee are set forth below.

The  Audit/Examining  Committee of which Mr. Jeffries is  chairperson,  and also
consists of Messrs. Ewing and Whigham,  meets with the independent  accountants,
reviews significant auditing and accounting matters, reviews the adequacy of the
system of internal  controls,  and reviews  examination  reports of national and
federal regulatory agencies and independent accountants.

The Loan and Discount Committee, of which Mr. Anderson is chairperson,  and also
consists of Messrs. Ewing, Jeffries, Giscombe, Jeffries, Prezeau and Whigham and
Ms.  Coleman,  reviews all loan policy changes and loans approved by management,
and approves loans over specific amounts.

The Investment Committee, of which Mr. Prezeau is chairperson, and also consists
of Messrs. Anderson, Ewing, Giscombe, and Whigham, reviews all investment policy
changes, along with purchases and sales.

The Personnel/Director and Management Review Committee, of which Mr. Giscombe is
chairperson,  and also consists of Messrs. Jeffries and Whigham and Ms. Coleman,
deals in broad terms with  personnel  matters and reviews  director  and officer
compensation.
The Building and Grounds  Committee,  of which Mr.  Ewing is  chairperson,  also
consists of Messrs.  Giscombe,  Prezeau and  Whigham,  meets to consider  branch
expansion and matters concerning Corporation premises.

The Marketing Committee, of which Ms. Coleman is chairperson,  and also consists
of Messrs. Anderson and Whigham, deals in broad terms with marketing matters.

During 1997,  the Board of Directors  held 12 regular  monthly  meetings and one
special  meeting.  A quorum was present at all meetings.  No incumbent  director
attended  fewer than 75% of the  meetings  held by the Board and  Committees  of
which such director was a member. In addition,  during 1997, the Audit/Examining
Committee held four meetings,  the Loan and Discount Committee held 12 meetings,
the  Investment  Committee  held  four  meetings,   the  Personnel/Director  and
Management  Review Committee held two meetings and the Marketing  Committee held
one meeting.

Each  director of the  Corporation  receives an annual  retainer of $1,500 and a
$400 fee for  each  board  meeting  attended  except  for the  Chairperson,  who
receives  $550,  and the Secretary who receives $500.  Audit  Committee  members
receive  $175 for each  meeting  attended,  while  members  of other  committees
receive $150 for each committee  meeting  attended,  except for the chairperson,
who receives $200 for each committee other than the Loan and Discount Committee,
for which the chairperson fee is $250.

Salary Continuation Plan
During 1997, the Corporation adopted a Salary Continuation Agreement for certain
highly  compensated  officers.  The Agreement  provides each such officer with a
normal retirement  benefit equal to 40% of the annual base salary payable to the
officer during the last complete fiscal year of the Corporation.  The benefit is
payable  beginning  at age 65 for a period  of  fifteen  years.  If the  officer
terminates  employment  before the normal retirement date for reasons other than
death,  the annual benefit is equal to of the officer's annual base salary prior
to termination, which is multiplied by a fraction. The numerator of the fraction
is the officer's  actual years of service prior to the termination  date and the
denominator is the years of service the officer would have had, if he had worked
until normal  retirement date. The benefit is payable for fifteen beginning with
the month following the early retirement.

If a change of control of the  Corporation,  as defined,  occurs and the officer
leaves the employment of the Corporation,  then the officer would be entitled to
a lump sum benefit  payable  within  thirty days after a change of control.  The
amount of the benefit is equal to the present value of a  theoretical  series of
180  equal  monthly  payments  with  each  payment  equal to 1/12 of the  normal
retirement benefit. This amount is computed using an annual discount rate of 4%.
No reduction due to years of service applies to the change of control benefit.

The table below sets forth  information with respect to the estimated and annual
benefits payable upon retirement based upon specified  compensation levels under
the Salary Continuation Plan:

- ---------------------------------------------------------
FINAL ANNUAL BASE SALARY   SALARY CONTINUATION ANNUAL
                                     BENEFIT
- ---------------------------------------------------------
        $100,000                     $40,000
        $125,000                     $50,000
        $150,000                     $60,000
        $175,000                     $70,000
        $200,000                     $80,000
        $225,000                     $90,000
        $250,000                    $100,000
- ---------------------------------------------------------

Director Retirement Plan
Directors also  participate in a Director  Retirement Plan, which is intended to
assure that the  compensation  arrangements for directors of the Corporation are
adequate to attract and retain highly qualified individuals.  Under the Director
Retirement Plan, an amount of director fees paid to the director during the then
last full fiscal year of the the  Corporation.  The annual benefit is to be paid
each  year  for ten  years  beginning  at age  65.  If the  director  terminates
employment  before the normal  retirement date, a reduced benefit is paid to the
director  based  upon the  completion  a minimum  number of years of  service as
follows:

- ---------------------------------------------------------
    YEARS OF SERVICE          APPLICABLE PERCENTAGE
- ---------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------
more than or equal 5,
less than 7                          20%

more than or equal 7,
less than 8                          40%

more than or equal 8,
less than 9                          60%

more than or equal 5,
less than 7                          80%

10 or more                          100%
- ---------------------------------------------------------


If a change of control of the  Corporation,  as  defined,  occurs and a director
leaves the Bank,  a lump sum benefit is payable to the  director  within  thirty
days after the  change of  control.  The  amount of the  benefit is equal to the
present equal to 1/12 of the normal retirement benefit.  This amount is computed
using an  annual  discount  rate of 4%.  No  reduction  due to years of  service
applies to the change of control benefit.

                             EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
The following table sets forth the compensation of those executive officers with
annual compensation in excess of $100,000 during 1997.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                           Summary compensation table
                                                    Annual Compensation                                    Long-term Compensation
Name and                                                                           Other                         Options/
Principal Position                           Year       Salary       Bonus   Compensation(1)               SARs (number of shares)
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                          <C>     <C>          <C>            <C>                                 <C>
Louis E. Prezeau                             1997    $ 137,500    $ 40,000       $ 8,790 (2)
  President and Chief Executive Officer,     1996      125,000      27,500         6,102 (2)                          -
  City National Bancshares Corporation       1995      125,000      30,000         6,733 (2)                          -
  and City National Bank of New Jersey

Stanley Weeks                                1997    $  89,962    $ 40,000       $ 8,790 (3)                          -
  Senior Vice President and Chief Credit
  Officer, City National Bank of New Jersey
<FN>
(1)  Perquisites and other personal benefits paid to any named executive officer did not exceed the lesser of $50,000 or 10% of the
     annual salary and bonus reported in the table for that individual and are, therefore, not presented.
(2)  Includes  payments  made under the  Corporation's  profit  sharing  plan of
     $5,220,  $2,197,  and $2,813 in 1997,  1996,  and 1995,  respectively,  and
     insurance  premiums  paid on a life  insurance  policy  on the  life of Mr.
     Prezeau  of  $3,570,   $3,905,   and  $3,920,  in  1997,  1996,  and  1995,
     respectively.
(3)  Includes payments made under the Corporation's profit sharing plan of $3,635 in 1997 and insurance premiums paid on a life
     insurance policy on the life of Mr. Weeks of $832 in 1997.
</FN>
</TABLE>

Set forth below are the executive officers of the Corporation or the Bank.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                        In Office
Name                           Age          Since     Office and Business Experience
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                             <C>          <C>      <C>                                                                           
Louis E. Prezeau                55           1989     President and Chief Executive Officer, City National Bancshares Corporation
                                                      and City National Bank of New Jersey

Stanley Weeks                   41           1994     Senior Vice President and Chief Credit Officer City National Bank of New
                                                      Jersey1984-1994, Vice President, First Fidelity Bank, N.A.

Edward R. Wright                52           1994     Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, City National Bancshares
                                                      Corporation and City National Bank of New Jersey1978-1994, Executive Vice
                                                      President and Chief Financial Officer, Rock Financial Corporation
</TABLE>

Employment agreements
The  Corporation has an employment  agreement with Mr. Prezeau  expiring May 23,
2000 which  provides  for an annual  base  salary of  $150,000  in  addition  to
performance  and other  bonuses  payable in either  cash or common  stock of the
Corporation.

The agreement  also provides  that Mr.  Prezeau may terminate his  employment if
there is a change in control of the  Corporation  which does not  receive  prior
approval from the Corporation's Board of Directors or if the stockholders of the
Corporation  fail to elect Mr.  Prezeau as a director of the  Corporation at any
time  during  which  his  employment  agreement  remains  in  effect.  In  these
instances,  Mr.  Prezeau is entitled to accrued but unpaid salary and bonus.  In
the event Mr. Prezeau's employment is terminated by the Corporation and the Bank
without cause, or Mr. Prezeau's  employment  expires and the Corporation and the
Bank fail to renew the employment agreement on substantially the same terms, Mr.
Prezeau is  entitled  to received  an amount  equal to his then  current  annual
salary.

The agreement  also grants Mr. Prezeau the option to purchase up to 5,700 shares
of the  Corporation's  common  stock at an  option  price of $20.00  per  share,
subject to adjustments for certain  events,  such as stock dividends and splits.
The option granted can be exercised as follows:

Year 1 - May 1, 1997 to April 30, 1998 - 1900 shares
Year 2 - May 1, 1998 to April 30, 1999 - 3800 shares less any shares executed in
Year 1 Year 3 - May 1,  1999 to April 30,  2000 - 5700  shares  less any  shares
executed in Years 1 & 2

             ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

Transactions With Management
Certain  directors  of the  Corporation  had loans with the Bank in 1997.  These
loans  were on  substantially  the same  terms,  including  interest  rates  and
collateral, as those prevailing at the time for comparable loans with others and
did not involve  more than the normal risk of  collectability  or present  other
unfavorable features. The Bank may have similar transactions in the future.

Section 16 (a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance
Section 16(a) of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange
Act"), requires CNBC's executive officers and directors,  and any persons owning
ten percent or more of CNBC's common stock, to file in their personal capacities
initial statements of beneficial ownership,  statements of changes in beneficial
ownership and annual statements of beneficial  ownership with the Securities and
Exchange  Commission  (the "SEC").  The rules of the SEC regarding the filing of
such statements require that late filings of such statements be disclosed in the
proxy statement. To the best of management's  knowledge,  CNBC believes that all
such statements were timely filed in 1997.

                                   PROPOSAL 2
                       APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, Certified Public  Accountants,  served as the independent
auditors for the  Corporation  for the year ended  December  31, 1997.  Services
provided included the examination of the consolidated  financial  statements and
preparation of the tax returns.

The Board of Directors of the Corporation has appointed KPMG Peat Marwick LLP as
the  independent  auditors for the  Corporation and the Bank for the fiscal year
1998. Stockholder ratification of the appointment is not required under the laws
of the State of New Jersey,  but the Board has decided to ascertain the position
of the  stockholders on the  appointment.  The Board of Directors may reconsider
the appointment if it is not ratified. The affirmative vote of a majority of the
shares voted at the Meeting is required for ratification.

Representatives  of KPMG Peat  Marwick  LLP are  expected  to be  present at the
meeting and will be allowed to make a statement if they so desire. Additionally,
they will be available to respond to  appropriate  questions  from  stockholders
during the Meeting.

The  Corporation has been advised by KPMG Peat Marwick LLP that the firm and its
partners have no direct financial  interest and no material  indirect  financial
interest in the Corporation or the Bank.

                              STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS
Stockholders  who  intend to present  proposals  at the 1999  Annual  Meeting of
Stockholders  must present written  proposals to the Corporation by December 15,
1998, for inclusion in the Corporations' proxy statement.


                                  OTHER MATTERS
Management knows of no other business  scheduled for consideration at the Annual
Meeting.  Should any matter  properly come before the Meeting or any adjournment
thereof,  it is intended  that  proxies will vote in  accordance  with their own
judgment.




                                            By order of the Board of Directors




April 21, 1998                              Lemar C. Whigham
                                            Secretary



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