AMWEST INSURANCE GROUP INC
SC 13D, 2000-02-08
SURETY INSURANCE
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

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

                                  SCHEDULE 13D
                                 (Rule 13d-101)

             INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN STATEMENTS FILED PURSUANT
            TO RULE 13d-1(a) AND AMENDMENTS THERETO FILED PURSUANT TO
                                  Rule 13D-2(a)

                               (Amendment No. 3) *

                          Amwest Insurance Group, Inc.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                (Name of Issuer)

                          Common Stock, $.01 Par Value
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         (Title of Class of Securities)

                                    032345100
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 (CUSIP Number)

                Mr. Phillip E. Huff, Vice President and Treasurer
                   5230 Las Virgenes Road, Calabasas, CA 91302
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person
                Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)

                                 April 15, 1999
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Date of Event Which Requires Filing of This Statement)


      If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G
   to report the acquisition that is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is
 filing this schedule because of Rule 13d-1(e), 13d-1(f) or 13d-1(g), check the
                                following box .

      Note: Schedules filed in paper format shall include a signed original
 and five copies of the schedule, including all exhibits. See Rule 13d-7(b) for
                  other parties to whom copies are to be sent.

                         (Continued on following pages)

                                Page 1 of 5 Pages

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

          * The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting
person's  initial  filing on this  form with  respect  to the  subject  class of
securities,  and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would
alter disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

          The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not
be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 or otherwise  subject to the  liabilities of that section of the Act
but  shall be  subject  to all other  provisions  of the Act  (however,  see the
Notes).

<PAGE>
- ------------------------------             ----------------------------------
CUSIP No.  032345100               13D              Pa ge    2  of 5 Pages

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

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     1       NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS
             I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS
                        John E. Savage

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

                                                                          ----
     2       CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP *      (a)
                                                                          ----

                                                                          ----
                                                                     (b)   X
                                                                          ----

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     3       SEC USE ONLY


- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     4       SOURCE OF FUNDS *
                     OO

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

                                                                       ----
     5       CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS
                                                                       ----
             REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) OR 2(e)


- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     6       CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
                        United States of America

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             7      SOLE VOTING POWER
                                               201,298 shares

                        -------------------------------------------------------
                        -------------------------------------------------------
       NUMBER OF             8      SHARED VOTING POWER
        SHARES                                 None
     BENEFICIALLY
                        -------------------------------------------------------
                        -------------------------------------------------------
       OWNED BY              9      SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
    EACH REPORTING                             201,298 shares
      PERSON WITH
                        -------------------------------------------------------
                        -------------------------------------------------------
                            10      SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
                                               None

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     11      AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
                        201,298 shares

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     12      CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES
             CERTAIN SHARES *


- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     13      PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
                        4.6%

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     14      TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON *
                        IN

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>

Item 1.    Security and Issuer

               This  Amendment  to Schedule  13D relates to the shares of Common
Stock,  $.01 par value  (the  "Shares"),  of Amwest  Insurance  Group,  Inc.,  a
Delaware corporation  ("Amwest").  The principal executive offices of Amwest are
located at 5230 Las Virgenes Road, Calabasas, California 91302.

Item 2.    Identity and Background

               This  Amendment  to Schedule 13D is being filed by John E. Savage
("Savage")  having his business  address at 5230 Las Virgenes  Road,  Calabasas,
California 91302. Currently,  Savage is employed as the Chief Executive Officer,
President and Chief  Operating  Officer of Amwest and is a citizen of the United
States of America.

               During the last five years,  Savage has not been  convicted  in a
criminal proceeding and has not been a party to a civil proceeding of a judicial
or  administrative  body  of  competent  jurisdiction  and as a  result  of such
proceeding  was or is subject to a  judgment,  decree or final  order  enjoining
future violations of, or prohibiting or mandating activities subject to, federal
or state securities laws or finding any violation with respect to such laws.

Item 3.    Source and Amount of Funds or Other Consideration

               Since his last  filing on  Schedule  13D dated  February  4, 1999
which reported beneficial ownership of 178,158 Shares,  Savage sold 2,860 Shares
on February 11, 1999 via an open market transaction.  Additionally, on April 15,
1999 Amwest paid a 10% stock dividend to  stockholders of record as of March 31,
1999 which  Savage  received  an  additional  13,413  Shares.  Also,  Savage has
received,  in his  various  capacities  including  the current  Chief  Executive
Officer,  President and Chief Operating  Officer of Amwest,  options to purchase
Shares, pursuant to Amwest's Stock Option Plan and Amwest's 1998 Stock Incentive
Plan.  Generally,  these  options  expire in 10 years from the date of grant and
vest in annual 25% increments  beginning one year from the grant date. Since his
last filing on  Schedule  13D dated  February  4, 1999,  Amwest on April 5, 1999
granted to Savage options to purchase an additional  7,150 Shares.  In addition,
certain  options  granted  before  February 4, 1999 have  vested.  Consequently,
options to purchase  an  aggregate  of 12,587  Shares held by Savage have vested
since  January 16,  1996  (10,799  Shares  pursuant  to options  granted  before
February 4, 1999 and 1,788 Shares  pursuant to options granted after February 4,
1999).  Pursuant to Rule 13d-3,  the Shares  underlying  such vested options are
deemed beneficially owned by Savage.

Item 4.    Purpose of Transaction

               Savage  received  options to purchase Shares pursuant to Amwest's
Stock Option Plan and Amwest's 1998 Stock  Incentive Plan.  Savage's  beneficial
ownership of Shares will increase in the future as additional options previously
granted to him by Amwest, as well as any options granted in the future, vest.









                                Page 3 of 5 Pages
<PAGE>


Item 5.    Interest in Securities of the Issuer

               Savage   beneficially   owns  an  aggregate  of  201,398  Shares,
representing  4.6% of the outstanding  Shares as computed in accordance with SEC
Rule  13d-3(d)(1)(i).  Savage  serves as Trustee of the  following  Trusts:  (1)
Savage  Family Stock Trust FBO Sandra Lee Savage which owns 23,567  Shares;  (2)
Savage Family Stock Trust FBO Lorraine Ann Savage which owns 23,567 Shares;  and
(3) Savage  Family  Stock Trust FBO  Geraldine  K.  Thuresson  which owns 23,568
Shares.  In his  capacity  as  Trustee,  Savage has the sole power to vote or to
direct the vote of,  and the sole power to dispose or to direct the  disposition
of, such Shares. Savage directly owns 76,845 Shares. In addition,  53,851 Shares
beneficially  owned by Savage  represent  Shares which may be acquired by Savage
within 60 days of February 7, 2000,  pursuant to the  exercise of options  under
Amwest's Stock Option Plan.

Item 6.    Contracts, Arrangements, Understandings or Relationships With Respect
to Securities of the Issuer

               Savage currently serves as Chief Executive Officer, President and
Chief  Operating  Officer  of  Amwest.  Savage is a party to a Senior  Executive
Severance Agreement with Amwest, pursuant to which Savage is entitled to certain
compensation in the event his employment with Amwest is terminated under certain
conditions.  Savage  is also a  party  to an  indemnity  agreement  with  Amwest
regarding Savage's actions as an officer and director of Amwest. Pursuant to the
terms of his  employment,  Savage  from  time to time  may  receive  options  to
purchase Shares.

Item 7.    Material to be filed as Exhibits

               None


























                                Page 4 of 5 Pages

<PAGE>

                                    SIGNATURE

               After  reasonable  inquiry  and to the best of my  knowledge  and
belief,  I certify  that the  information  set forth in this  statement is true,
complete and correct.

Dated:  February 7, 2000


                                                /s/ JOHN E. SAVAGE
                                                ------------------------------

                                                John E. Savage





































                                Page 5 of 5 Pages



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