SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. )
Filed by the Registrant (X)
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant ( )
Check the appropriate box:
( X ) Preliminary Proxy Statement ( ) Confidential, for Use of the
Commission Only (as permitted
( ) Definitive Proxy Statement by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
( ) Definitive Additional Materials
( ) Soliciting Material Pursuant to Rule 14a-11(c) or
Rule 14a-12
BELMONT BANCORP.
_______________________________________________________________________
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter
_______________________________________________________________________
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
( X )$125 per Exchange Act Rules 0-11(c)(1)(ii), 14a-6(i)(1), or
14a-6(i)(2) or Item 22(a)(2) of Schedule 14A.
( )$500 per each party to the controversy pursuant to Exchange Act Rule
14a-6(i)(3).
( )Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules14a-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 transactions computed
pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which
the filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined):
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:
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
BELMONT BANCORP.
April 20, 1998
To the Shareholders of BELMONT BANCORP.:
The Annual Meeting of Shareholders of BELMONT BANCORP. will
be held in the Belmont National Bank conference room at
Belmont National Bank, 150 West Main Street, St.
Clairsville, Ohio, on Monday, April 20, 1998, at 11:00 a.m.
for the following purposes:
1. To elect four (4) persons as Directors to serve for a
three-year term expiring at the annual shareholders'
meeting in 2001.
2. To consider and act upon the proposed Amendment to the
Articles of Incorporation to allow for a two-for-one
split of the common stock.
3. To consider and act upon a proposal to ratify the
appointment of S. R. Snodgrass A.C. as independent
auditors for the year ending December 31, 1998.
4. To transact such other business as may properly come
before the meeting and any adjournment thereof.
Only shareholders of record at the close of business on
February 27, 1998, are entitled to notice of and to vote at
the meeting.
WHETHER OR NOT YOU EXPECT TO ATTEND THE MEETING, PLEASE SIGN
AND DATE THE ENCLOSED FORM OF PROXY AND RETURN IT IN THE
ENCLOSED ENVELOPE. PROXIES MAY BE REVOKED AT ANY TIME PRIOR
TO THE VOTING THEREOF. THUS, IF YOU ARE PRESENT AT THE
MEETING AND SO REQUEST YOUR PROXY WILL NOT BE USED.
BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
JANE R. MARSH, Secretary
Bridgeport, Ohio
March 20, 1998
<PAGE>
PROXY STATEMENT
OF BELMONT BANCORP.
325 Main Street
Bridgeport, Ohio 43912
ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
April 20, 1998
This Proxy Statement is furnished to the shareholders of
Belmont Bancorp. in connection with the solicitation by the
Board of Directors of Belmont Bancorp. (the "Corporation")
of proxies for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of the
Corporation to be held on April 20, 1998, in the conference
room of Belmont National Bank, 150 West Main Street, St.
Clairsville, Ohio, and any adjournment thereof. Shares
represented by properly executed proxies received at the
time of the meeting that have not been revoked will be voted
at the meeting in the manner described in the proxies. Any
proxy may be revoked any time before it is exercised.
This Proxy Statement and the accompanying Proxy are being
mailed to shareholders on March 20, 1998.
The Board of Directors has fixed the close of business on
February 27, 1998, as the record date for the determination
of shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote at the
Annual Meeting. On the record date 2,630,498 shares of
Common Stock of the Corporation were outstanding and
entitled to be voted at the meeting. Each share of Common
Stock is entitled to one vote except in the election of
Directors where shareholders are entitled to cumulate their
votes. Cumulative voting permits each shareholder as many
votes as shall equal the number of the shareholders' shares
of Common Stock multiplied by the number of Directors to be
elected, and the shareholder may cast all of such votes for
a single Director, or such votes may be distributed among
the nominees, as each shareholder may see fit.
The proxies are solicited by the Board of Directors of the
Corporation, and the cost thereof is borne by the
Corporation. Proxies may be revoked by the shareholders who
execute them at any time prior to the exercise thereof, by
written notice to the Corporation or by announcement at the
Shareholders' Meeting. Unless so revoked, the shares
represented by all proxies will be voted by the persons
named in the proxies at the Shareholders' Meeting and at all
adjournments thereof, in accordance with the specifications
set forth therein, or, absent such specifications, in
accordance with the judgment of the holders of such proxies.
PROPOSAL NUMBER 1: ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
The Board of Directors of the Corporation by resolution at
its meeting on January 19, 1998, set the number of Directors
at fourteen (14) members with four (4) members to be elected
to the class which expires at the annual meeting in 2001.
All nominees are currently Directors of the Corporation and
its principal subsidiary, Belmont National Bank. Each of
the nominees to be elected has continuously served in the
principal occupation shown for the past five years.
The following persons have been nominated for election to
the Board of Directors to serve for a three-year term
expiring at the annual shareholders' meeting in 2001:
Common Stock
Name And Year First % of
Principal Occupation Age Elected Amount Total
J. Vincent Ciroli, Jr. 52 1984 14,149 *
President & Chief Executive Officer,
Belmont Bancorp. and
Belmont National Bank
John H. Goodman, II 53 1974 55,946(1) 2.13
Realtor, President
Goodman Group, Inc.
Keith A. Sommer 57 1995 3,854 *
Attorney, Partner, Sommer,
Liberati & Hoffman
James R. Miller 55 1995 500 *
President, New Philadelphia Fan
Company (Jan. 1997 to Present)
Vice President & General Manager,
Joy Technologies Inc.
(April 1992-Dec. 1996)
Footnotes
1. This amount includes 3,567 shares held in the name of
Marylouise Goodman IRA, and 170 shares held in the name of
Marylouise Goodman, wife of John H. Goodman, II, to which
Mr. Goodman disclaims any beneficial interest. This amount
also includes 26,352 shares held in the name of John H.
Goodman, II and Terrence A. Lee, Trustees under a trust
dated February 2, 1991, to which Mr. Goodman disclaims any
beneficial interest. This amount also includes 2,015 shares
held by John H. Goodman, II and J. Harvey Goodman, Trustees
under a trust dated February 13, 1995 and 5,094 shares held
by J. Harvey Goodman and John H. Goodman, II, Trustees under
a trust dated April 26, 1995.
* Denotes less than a 1% interest.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR ELECTION OF THE
ABOVE NOMINEES TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF BELMONT BANCORP.
In addition to the foregoing nominees, the following persons
are presently serving as members of the Board of Directors:
Directors Whose Term of Office Will Expire at the Annual
Shareholders' Meeting in 1999
Common Stock
Name And Year First % of
Principal Occupation Age Elected Amount Total
Mary L. Holloway Haning 42 1993 1,983 (2) *
Teacher, Mount De Chantal School
(Sept. 1996 - Present)
Special Projects Coordinator,
Plastic Surgery, Inc.
(Sept. 1995-Sept. 1996)
Director of Admissions,
Wheeling Country Day School (1987-1995)
Charles J. Kaiser, Jr. 48 1979 13,185 (3) *
Attorney, Partner, Phillips, Gardill,
Kaiser & Altmeyer
Samuel A. Mumley 66 1996 287 *
Executive Secretary,
Ohio Valley Athletic Conference
Thomas Olszowy 51 1993 20,060 (4) *
Independent Insurance Agent,
Tom Olszowy Insurance Agency
Charles A. Wilson, Jr. 55 1973 26,778 (5) 1.02
Ohio State Representative;
President, Wilson Funeral &
Furniture Co.
Footnotes
2. This amount includes 1,280 shares held for the benefit
of Mary L. Holloway Haning in trust in which Wesbanco Bank
Wheeling is trustee.
3. This amount includes 90 shares held in the name of
Deborah P. Kaiser, IRA, wife of Charles J. Kaiser, Jr., to
which Mr. Kaiser disclaims any beneficial interest and 750
shares held in the name of Marchak Investment Co., a
partnership, in which Mr. Kaiser is a general partner and
holds a substantial beneficial interest.
4. This amount includes 15,127 shares held in the names of
Tom and Diana Olszowy joint tenants with right of
survivorship in which Mr. Olszowy shares voting and
investment power. This amount also includes 377 shares held
in the name of Tom Olszowy, custodian for Dana Paul Olszowy,
and 1,002 shares held in the name of Tom Olszowy, custodian
for Jonathan T. Olszowy, to which Mr. Olszowy disclaims any
beneficial interest.
5. This amount includes 3,902 shares held in the name of
Wilson Funeral and Furniture Company of which Mr. Wilson is
President, holds a substantial stock interest and has voting
power.
Directors Whose Term of Office Will Expire at the Annual
Shareholders' Meeting in 2000
Common Stock
Name And Year First % of
Principal Occupation Age Elected Amount Total
John A. Belot 55 1979 24,000 (6) *
President,
Walden Industries, Inc.
Terrence A. Lee, CPA 48 1987 2,180 (7) *
Chairman, Belmont Bancorp.
and Belmont National Bank;
Partner, Lee & Associates
Dana J. Lewis 54 1994 20,821 *
President, Zanco Enterprises, Inc.
New Philadelphia, Ohio; Owner/
Operator of McDonalds restaurants
W. Quay Mull, II 55 1984 15,742 (8) *
Chairman of the Board
Mull Industries, Inc.
William Wallace 42 1991 17,852 (9) *
Executive Vice President &
Chief Operating Officer,
Belmont National Bank;
Vice President, Belmont Bancorp.
Footnotes
6. This amount includes 7,905 shares held jointly by Terry
L. Belot, wife of John A. Belot, and Jason Michael Belot,
son of John A. Belot; 7,905 shares held jointly by Terry L.
Belot and John A. Belot, Jr., son of John A. Belot; 4,468
shares held in the name of Jason Michael Belot; and 686
shares held in the name of John A. Belot, Jr. Mr. John A.
Belot has retained voting rights with respect to these
shares. This amount also includes 1,250 shares held in the
name of Terry L. Belot, IRA, to which Mr. Belot disclaims
any beneficial interest.
7. This amount includes 16 shares held in the name of
Terrence A. Lee, Custodian for Katherine M. Lee, UOTMA; 16
shares held in the name of Terrence A. Lee, Custodian for
Natalie A. Lee, UOTMA; and 16 shares held in the name of
Terrence A. Lee, Custodian for Tara N. Lee, UOTMA; Mr. Lee's
minor daughters. This amount does not include 26,352 shares
held in the name of John H. Goodman, II and Terrence A. Lee,
Trustees for a trust dated February 2, 1991, to which Mr.
Lee disclaims any beneficial interest.
8. This amount includes 8,040 shares held in the name of
Mull Machine Company of which Mr. Mull is President and
holds a substantial ownership interest.
9. This amount includes 3,347 shares held jointly with
Christine Wallace, Mr. Wallace's wife, in which he shares
voting and investment power; 2,733 shares held in the name
of Christine Wallace, IRA, to which Mr. Wallace disclaims
any beneficial interest; 577 shares held in the name of
William Wallace as Custodian for Joseph J. Wallace, UWVTMA;
577 shares held in the name of William Wallace as Custodian
for Lauren C. Wallace, UWVTMA; 535 shares held in the name
of William Wallace as Custodian for Adrienne C. Wallace,
UWVTMA; and 494 shares held in the name of William Wallace
as Custodian for William J. Wallace, UWVTMA; Mr. Wallace's
minor children.
As of February 27, 1998, the Directors and Officers of the
Corporation as a group beneficially owned 219,181 shares or
8.33 percent of the outstanding common stock of the
Corporation.
PROPOSAL NUMBER 2: AMENDMENT TO THE CORPORATION'S
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION TO ALLOW FOR 2-FOR-1 STOCK SPLIT
Subparagraph (1) of Article FOURTH of the Corporation's
Amended Articles of Incorporation currently provides the
authority to issue 9,000,000 shares of capital stock of
which 8,900,000 shall be common shares with a par value of
$0.50; 10,000 shares shall be Senior Cumulative Preferred
Stock with a par value of $100 per share; and 90,000 shares
of undesignated preferred shares without par value but
subject to the provisions of subparagraph (2) of Article
FOURTH. Subparagraph (2) grants to the Board of Directors
the authority to designate the powers, rights, preferences
and other matters related to the Preferred Stock. The
10,000 shares of Senior Cumulative Preferred Stock have been
redeemed and cancelled, and thus cannot be reissued. There
are 2,644,163 shares of Common Stock presently issued and
2,630,498 shares outstanding.
On February 27, 1998, the Corporation's Board of Directors
unanimously adopted a resolution authorizing a two-for-one
split of the common stock subject to the approval by the
shareholders at its annual meeting. This approval will
require an Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation
increasing the number of authorized shares of capital stock
to 17,890,000 shares divided into 90,000 shares of preferred
stock without par value but subject to the provisions
subparagraph (2) of Article FOURTH and 17,800,000 shares of
common stock with a par value of $0.25 per share.
Specifically, if adopted, the amendment would delete
subparagraph (1) of Article FOURTH of the Amended Articles
of Incorporation and substitute the following:
(1) The total number of shares of stock which the
Corporation shall have the authority to issue is
17,890,000 shares which shall be divided into
17,800,000 shares of Common Stock with a par value
of $0.25 per share, and 90,000 shares of Preferred
Stock without par value which shall be subject
to the provisions of subparagraph (2) below.
If this Amendment is adopted, the 2-for-1 stock split will
be effective for stock of record May 1, 1998, and
certificates for additional shares are expected to be
distributed on May 22, 1998. The change in par value of the
common stock will not affect the certificates representing
shares of common stock presently outstanding, as all common
stock outstanding will be deemed to have a par value of
$0.25 per share, and accordingly, it will not be necessary
for any shareholder to exchange certificates representing
currently outstanding shares. If this Amendment is adopted,
there will be no change in the Common Stock portion of the
Shareholders' Equity portion of the Corporation's Balance
Sheet.
Adoption of the Amendment requires the affirmative vote by
shareholders holding a majority of the outstanding shares at
a meeting at which a quorum is present. The Board of
Directors unanimously recommends a vote FOR the Amendment.
Proxies not otherwise specified will be voted in favor of
the Amendment.
Transactions with Directors and Officers
Certain Directors and Executive Officers and their
associates were customers of and had transactions with the
Bank in the ordinary course of the Bank's business during
1997. From time to time the law firms of Phillips, Gardill,
Kaiser & Altmeyer, of which Charles J. Kaiser, Jr. is a
partner, and Sommer, Liberati & Hoffman, of which Keith A.
Sommer is a partner, have rendered legal services to the
Corporation and the Bank. Messrs. Kaiser and Sommer are
directors of both the Corporation and the Bank. It is
contemplated that these firms will be retained to perform
legal services during the current year.
Meetings of the Board of Directors and Committees and
Compensation of Members
The Board of Directors of the Corporation met six (6) times
during the year 1997. Each member of the Board of Directors
of the Corporation attended seventy-five percent (75%) or
more of the total number of meetings of the Board and its
committees of which they were members. The Board of
Directors of Belmont National Bank met fifteen (15 ) times
during 1997. The Directors of the Corporation and the Bank
are the same.
The Board of Directors elects an Executive Committee
annually. Messrs. Ciroli, Goodman, Kaiser, Lee, Mull,
Olszowy and Wilson are members of the Executive Committee of
both the Corporation and the Bank. Meetings of the
Executive Committee are called to consider Corporation or
Bank business which may arise between normally scheduled
meetings or to consider in depth policies and make
recommendations to the Board of Directors. The Executive
Committee of the Bank met three (3) times during 1997.
The Executive Committee of the Corporation also serves as a
Nominating Committee. As such, the Committee seeks and
recommends individuals for nomination as directors. The
Nominating Committee will consider as prospective directors
persons suggested to them by any shareholder.
Messrs. Goodman, Kaiser, Lee, Miller, Mull and Olszowy are
members of the Audit Committee of the Bank and the
Corporation. The Audit Committee reviews the reports of the
Bank's internal auditor, the Bank's compliance officer, and
the reports of the Corporation's independent Certified
Public Accountants, the adequacy of internal controls and
procedures, and reports to the Board of Directors of the
Corporation and the Bank. This Committee met five (5) times
during 1997.
The Bank also has a Trust Committee that met three (3) times
in 1997 whose members are Ms. Haning and Messrs. Belot,
Lewis, Mumley, Sommer, Wallace and Wilson. The Trust
Committee of the Bank approves the operations of the Trust
Department and reports to the Board of Directors.
Directors who are not employees of the Corporation or the
Bank receive an annual retainer fee of Two Thousand Dollars,
payable quarterly in arrears, plus an attendance fee of Two
Hundred Dollars for each Bank or Committee Meeting attended.
Also, Directors receive an attendance fee of One Hundred
Dollars per regularly scheduled quarterly Bancorp. Meeting,
not to exceed Four Hundred Dollars annually. During 1997, a total
of $78,500.00 was paid to Directors. For the year 1998, the
annual retainer has been increased to Three Thousand Dollars
and the attendance fee increased to Three Hundred Dollars per
meeting. The separate fee for Bancorp. meetings has been
eliminated.
In addition to the fees paid to Directors, Mr. Richard G.
Anderson and Mr. Wilbur L. Terhune, each of whom is a
retired Chairman of the Board, received payments under a
Deferred Compensation Plan adopted by the Board of Directors
on December 15, 1983. Mr. Anderson received $2,312.70 and
Mr. Terhune received $6,030.96 during 1997 under this plan.
The Deferred Compensation Plan provided an early retirement
benefit to covered individuals equal to eighty percent (80%)
of a factor corresponding to the number of years the
employee's early retirement date preceded his normal
retirement date, multiplied by the employee's average
compensation as defined under the Bank's retirement plan,
minus the employee's monthly accrued benefit under the
Bank's retirement plan on a straight life annuity basis.
This amount is further reduced by the employee's primary
social security benefit. Mr. Terhune's benefit is further
reduced by a pension which he receives from a plan unrelated
to the Corporation or the Bank.
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
The Executive Committee without the executive officers but
with the addition of James R. Miller and Keith A. Sommer
serves as the Compensation Committee for Belmont National
Bank. The officers of the Corporation are currently serving
without compensation from Belmont Bancorp. They are,
however, compensated by Belmont National Bank for services
rendered as officers of the Bank. This Committee is
responsible for advising the Board regarding compensation
levels for the President and CEO, J. Vincent Ciroli, Jr.;
the Executive Vice President and COO, William Wallace; and
the Senior Vice President, Controller and Cashier, Jane R.
Marsh. The Committee also consults with senior officers
with respect to the compensation and benefits of other
officers and employees of the Corporation.
Compensation Philosophy
The Corporation bases different portions of its executive
compensation program on differing measures of corporate
performance. As a result, the Corporation's compensation
program currently reflects the following themes:
A material portion of compensation should be meaningfully
related to corporate performance.
Since the Corporation has chosen a senior executive team
to manage the operations of the Corporation, bonus compensation
for these senior executives should be based on team effort and
performance of the Corporation as a whole.
Bonus compensation should be related to the return on
shareholders' equity and should be payable only if the
shareholders have received a reasonable return
on the equity.
Compensation should play a critical role in attracting
and retaining executives whom the Corporation deems most
able to further its goals and, therefore, should be
comparable to compensation paid by peer organizations in
the same region of the country that the Corporation operates.
Summary Compensation Table
For the year ended December 31, 1997, J. Vincent Ciroli,
Jr., William Wallace and Jane R. Marsh were the only
officers compensated in excess of $100,000. Their
compensation is summarized in the following table:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Long Term
Name and Incentive All Other
Principal Position Year Salary Bonus Compensation (1) Compensation
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
J. Vincent Ciroli, Jr. 1997 $152,000.00 $ 26,600.00 $26,600.00 $15,707.59
President & 1996 $152,000.00 $ 68,400.00 - $16,767.99
Chief Executive Officer 1995 $145,000.00 $116,000.00 - $14,159.04 Belmont Bancorp. and
Belmont National Bank
William Wallace 1997 $110,000.00 $ 19,250.00 $19,250.00 $12,420.97
Vice President, 1996 $110,000.17 $ 49,500.00 - $15,722.09
Belmont Bancorp. and 1995 $105,000.00 $ 84,000.00 - $11,162.44
Executive Vice President &
Chief Operating Officer,
Belmont National Bank
Jane R. Marsh 1997 $ 70,000.00 $ 12,250.00 $12,250.00 $11,350.80
Secretary, Belmont 1996 $ 70,000.01 $ 31,500.00 - $ 9,915.19
Bancorp. and Senior 1995 $ 58,000.02 $ 46,400.00 - $ 6,097.44
Vice President, Controller,
and Cashier, Belmont
National Bank
(1) See the description for the Long Term Incentive Compensation under the
heading "Annual Bonus Incentives".
Pay Mix and Measurement
The Corporation's executive compensation program is based on
three components, each of which is intended to serve the
overall compensation philosophy.
Base Salary is targeted at the competitive median for peer
banking organizations. In order to determine these amounts,
the Committee has utilized the Sheshunoff tables, the
Executive Studies Group (a division of Ben S. Cole
Financial, Inc.), and the Bank Wage-Hour & Personnel
Service. During 1997, the Committee retained Bank
Compensation Strategies Group located in Dublin, Ohio, to
advise it and the Board concerning salaries for comparable
officers at other Ohio and regional banking organizations of
similar size. Salaries for the executive officers named in
the Summary Compensation Table are reviewed by the Committee
on an annual basis and may be increased or decreased at that
time based on the Committee's analysis of how the management
team and the respective individual contributes to the
Corporation, as well as increases in median competitive pay
levels.
Annual Bonus Incentives for executive officers are intended
to reflect the Corporation's belief that management's
contribution to corporate performance comes, in part, from
maximizing the Corporation's return on common shareholders'
equity. Accordingly, since 1989 the Board of Directors has
had in place an Executive Incentive Compensation Plan to
provide incentive compensation based upon the earnings of
Belmont National Bank. Amounts paid under the Plan are
included in the "Bonus" column in the Summary Compensation
Table above. The individuals covered by the Plan are J.
Vincent Ciroli, Jr., William Wallace and Jane R. Marsh.
During 1997, the Compensation Committee retained Bank
Compensation Strategies Group of Dublin, Ohio, to advise the
Committee and the Board on changes to the Executive
Incentive Compensation Plan designed in part to: (i) allow
additional senior executives to be added to the Executive
Incentive Compensation Plan without disrupting the formula;
and (ii) requiring half of each year's bonus to be deferred
and held as phantom stock of the Corporation which is hoped
will enhance the senior executives' interest in the long-
term appreciation of the Corporation's stock. The revised
Senior Executive Incentive Plan adopted during 1997 pays an
incentive bonus calculated as a percentage of salary varying
between 10% and 80% when the Corporation's return on equity
exceeds the average return on equity of a peer group. No
award is made unless the Corporation's return on equity is
at least 10% greater than the peer group average. Half of
any bonus is paid to the executive in cash and the other
half is credited to a non-qualified deferred compensation
plan that invests in the Corporation's phantom stock. That
amount is shown as Long Term Incentive Compensation in the
Summary Compensation Table. The plan is a phantom stock
plan because the portion of the bonus paid to the plan is
converted to units designed to appreciate or depreciate in
relation to the appreciation or depreciation of the
Corporation's common stock. Upon termination of employment
for reasons of death, disability, retirement or any other
reason the executive will be paid his benefit in cash over
a period of years. The Committee believes that the program,
as revised, provides an appropriate link between the
Corporation's short-term performance and long-term performance
(as measured by the appreciation of its stock) and the
incentives paid to the executive officers. The return on
equity goal is established by the Committee annually.
Other Compensation is provided so that the Corporation's
overall benefits are comparable with other similar
organizations so as to attract and retain competent
management.
The Bank has a Defined Contribution 401(k) Savings Plan
which allows employees who work over 1,000 hours per year to
defer up to 10% of their pre-tax salary to the Plan. The
Bank matches fifty percent (50%) of the first four percent
(4%) deferred. The Bank may also make voluntary contributions
to the Plan. In 1997, the Bank paid $36,459.49 in matching
funds and made a voluntary contribution of $208,055.29, or
nine percent (9%) of annual salary. In 1997, the profit
sharing contribution attributed to Mr. Ciroli was $12,672.00;
the matching funds contribution was $2,305.99. The profit
sharing contribution paid for Mr. Wallace was $10,422.01;
the matching funds contribution was $1,751.46. The profit
sharing contribution paid for Mrs. Marsh was $10,058.40 and
the matching funds contribution was $1,292.40. This compensation
is included in the "All Other Compensation" column in the Summary
Compensation Table above.
The Bank provides reimbursement for club fees, membership
dues and entertainment expenses for business use by Mr.
Ciroli and Mr. Wallace. The Bank also provides Mr. Ciroli
and Mr. Wallace with the use of a company car. Personal
benefits from such expenditures are less than 10% of salary
and bonus and, therefore, have been excluded from the
Summary Compensation Table above.
The Bank maintains a split-dollar life insurance plan for
several of its officers. Under the plan, the Bank maintains
ownership of all cash value in the insurance policies and a
portion of the death benefits. The participant's named
beneficiary is entitled to three times the participant's
annual salary at his death. Annually, the participant
recognizes taxable income to the extent of the assumed term
cost of the coverage. At the death of the participant, the
Bank's share of the death benefit will be sufficient to
recover all costs associated with the plan. For 1997, the
amount of income attributable for a split-dollar insurance
plan was $729.60, $247.50 and $126.00 for Mr. Ciroli, Mr.
Wallace and Mrs. Marsh respectively. These amounts are
included in the "All Other Compensation" column in the
Summary Compensation Table above.
The Corporation adopted a Supplemental Retirement Plan for
the three executive officers at its meeting on January 18,
1994, and subsequently amended the plan on December 19,
1995, in order to augment the retirement benefits payable to
these officers and make them more comparable to the benefits
provided under the defined benefit plan which was terminated
in 1990. The persons covered under the plan are J. Vincent
Ciroli, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer; William
Wallace, Vice President of the Corporation and Executive
Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Bank; and
Jane R. Marsh, Secretary of the Corporation and Senior Vice
President, Controller and Cashier of the Bank. Under the
Plan the Corporation credited the sum of $163,000 to a book
reserve account for the benefit of Mr. Ciroli, the sum of
$19,000 for Mr. Wallace and the sum of $3,000 for Ms. Marsh.
The balance in the book reserve account will be invested as
directed by the Board and distributed to the officer over a
ten (10) year period following retirement. The officer will
bear the risk of earnings in the book reserve account.
Under the Plan the maximum amount that can be paid to Mr.
Ciroli is $43,000 per annum; to Mr. Wallace $40,000 per
annum; and to Ms. Marsh $11,250 per annum. The supplemental
retirement benefits may be forfeited if the employee is
terminated for cause.
COMPENSATION COMMITTEE
John H. Goodman, II W. Quay Mull, II
Charles J. Kaiser, Jr. Thomas Olszowy
Terrence A. Lee Keith A. Sommer
James R. Miller Charles A. Wilson, Jr.
Stock Price Performance Graph
The following graph compares for each of the last five years
ending December 31 the cumulative total return of the
Corporation's Common Stock, All Nasdaq U.S. Stocks Index and
SNL Securities' Index of Banks with Assets Size less than
$500 million. The cumulative total return of the
Corporation's Common Stock assumes $100 invested on December
31, 1992 and assumes reinvestment of dividends.
Belmont Bancorp. Stock Price Performance
Total return performance assuming reinvestment of dividends
MEASUREMENT PERIOD
Index 12/31/92 12/31/93 12/31/94 12/31/95 12/31/96 12/31/97
Belmont Bancorp. 100.00 109.33 204.75 383.05 376.85 783.55
NASDAQ-Total U.S. 100.00 114.80 112.21 158.70 195.19 239.53
SNL<$500M Bank Index 100.00 130.56 140.42 192.09 247.24 421.47
PROPOSAL NUMBER 3: SELECTION OF AUDITORS
The Board of Directors has retained S.R. Snodgrass A.C. as
independent auditors for both the Corporation and the Bank
for the year ending December 31, 1998. There will be
presented to the shareholders at the Annual Meeting a
proposal that this selection be ratified by the
shareholders. THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS
THAT THIS SELECTION BE SO RATIFIED. The services rendered
by S.R. Snodgrass A.C. during the year 1997 involved
auditing services primarily and consisted of the examination
of the financial statements of the Corporation and its
subsidiaries, principally the Bank. It is expected that a
representative of the accounting firm will be present at the
shareholders' meeting. Such representative will be given
the opportunity to make a statement if he desires to do so,
and will be available to respond to appropriate questions
from the shareholders who are present.
Compliance with Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934
Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
requires the Corporation's directors, executive officers,
and persons who own more than 10% of a registered class of
the Corporation's equity securities to file with the
Securities and Exchange Commission initial reports of
ownership and reports of changes in ownership of Common
Stock of the Corporation. Officers, directors and greater
than 10% shareholders are required by SEC regulation to
furnish the Company with copies of all Section 16(a) forms
they file. To the Corporation's knowledge, based solely on
a review of the copies of such reports furnished to the
Corporation and written representations that no other
reports were required, during the two fiscal years ended
December 31, 1997, all section 16(a) filing requirements
applicable to the Corporation's officers, directors, and
greater than 10% beneficial owners were complied with.
Other Matters
As of the date of this Proxy Statement, the Board of
Directors and Management were unaware of any matters not
referred to in this proxy statement for action at the
meeting. If any other business comes before the meeting,
the persons named in the proxy will have the authority to
vote the shares represented by them in accordance with their
best judgment.
Method and Cost of Solicitation
The solicitation of proxies will be made primarily by mail.
Proxies may also be solicited personally and by telephone by
regular employees and Directors of the Corporation and the
Bank without any additional remuneration and at minimal
cost. Management intends to request banks, brokerage
houses, custodians, nominees, and fiduciaries to obtain
authorization for the execution of proxies. The Corporation
will bear the entire cost of soliciting proxies.
Shareholder Proposals for Next Year's Annual Meeting
Proposals which shareholders intend to present at next
year's annual meeting, now scheduled to be held on April 19,
1999, will be eligible for inclusion in the Corporation's
proxy material for that meeting if they are submitted to the
Corporation in writing no later than November 20, 1998. At
the time of the submission of the proposal, a proponent may
also submit a statement in support of the proposal. The
proposal and its supporting statement in the aggregate
shall not exceed 500 words. When submitted to the
Corporation, a proposal should be accompanied by a written
notice of the proponent's intention to appear personally at
the meeting for the purpose of presenting the proposal for
action.
Bridgeport, Ohio BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
March 20, 1998 J. VINCENT CIROLI, JR., PRESIDENT & CEO
<PAGE>
APPENDIX A
PROXY
BELMONT BANCORP., BRIDGEPORT, OHIO
ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
APRIL 20, 1998
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENT that I the undersigned Shareholder of
BELMONT BANCORP. do hereby nominate, constitute and appoint David L. Barnes
and Kelley Archer, or either of them, my true and lawful attorney with full
power of substitution, for me and in my name, place and stead to vote all
of the Common Stock of said Corporation standing in my name at the Annual
Meeting of its Shareholders to be held at Belmont National Bank, 150 West
Main Street, St. Clairsville, Ohio, on April 20, 1998, at 11:00 A.M., or at
any adjournments thereof with all the powers the undersigned would possess
if personally present as follows:
1. For the election to the Board of Directors, except as otherwise
specified below, of the following nominees, or any one or more of them to
serve a three-year term expiring at the annual shareholders' meeting in
2001:
J. Vincent Ciroli, Jr. Keith A. Sommer
John H. Goodman, II James R. Miller
with full authority to cumulate the votes represented by such shares and to
distribute the same among the nominees in such manner and numbers as said
proxies in their discretion may determine.
THE AUTHORITY TO VOTE FOR THE ELECTION OF ANY OF THE NOMINEES LISTED ABOVE
MAY BE WITHHELD BY LINING THROUGH OR OTHERWISE STRIKING OUT THE NAME OF THE
NOMINEE.
For 2. To consider and act upon the proposed Amendment to the
Against Articles of Incorporation to allow for a two-for-one
Abstain split of the common stock.
For 3. To consider and act upon a proposal to ratify the
Against appointment of S.R. Snodgrass A.C. as independent
Abstain auditors for the year ending December 31, 1998.
For 4. In accordance with the judgment of the said proxies to vote
Against upon such other matters as may be presented for
Abstain consideration and action.
DATED _____________________ ______________________________________________
______________________________________________
Signature(s)
When signing in a fiduciary capacity, please
give full title.
All joint owners should sign.
Please sign, date and return your Proxy promptly in the enclosed envelope
to BELMONT NATIONAL BANK, 154 West Main Street, St. Clairsville, Ohio
43950.
THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE
CORPORATION. THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS A VOTE "FOR"
ALL OF THE ABOVE ITEMS.
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