SWISHER INTERNATIONAL INC
8-K, 1996-12-05
PATENT OWNERS & LESSORS
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<PAGE>   1

                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                           WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549


                                   FORM 8-K

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


                                CURRENT REPORT
                    PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
                       SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934



                  Date of Report
        (Date of Earliest Event Reported):             Commission File Number:
                 DECEMBER 4, 1996                             0-21282

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


                         SWISHER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
            (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


                                                      
                      NEVADA                                56-1541396
             (State of incorporation)                    (I.R.S. Employer
                                                      Identification Number)


                              6849 FAIRVIEW ROAD
                       CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA 28210
                                 704/364-7707
                       -------------------------------
                       (Address of principal executive
                        offices and telephone number)
                                      
                             --------------------
<PAGE>   2
ITEM 4.  CHANGES IN REGISTRANT'S CERTIFYING ACCOUNTANT

(a) (1)  Previous independent accountants.

      (i)   As disclosed in the proxy statement for the annual meeting held in
            May 1996, Swisher International, Inc.  (the "Company") deferred
            selection of an independent public accountant for the current
            fiscal year to consider whether a plan of rotation would be
            beneficial to the Company.  The Audit Committee determined to
            solicit proposals from various accounting firms and began such
            solicitations in September 1996.  Ehrhardt Keefe Steiner & Hottman
            P.C. (the "Former Accountants"), which had acted as the independent
            public accountants for the Company for the prior three fiscal
            years, declined to submit a proposal.

      (ii)  The Former Accountants reported on the Company's financial
            statements for the fiscal years ended October 31, 1993, 1994, and
            1995.  The reports of the Former Accountants on the financial
            statements for such years contained no adverse opinion or
            disclaimer of opinion and were not qualified or modified as to
            uncertainty, audit scope or accounting principles.

      (iii) The Company's Audit Committee approved the solicitation of
            proposals and made recommendations to the Board of Directors as to
            the selection of new accountants.  The Board of Directors approved
            the new independent accountants based on the proposals submitted.
            
      (iv)  During the Company's fiscal years ended October 31, 1994 and 1995,
            and through the date of this report, there were no disagreements
            with the Former Accountants on any matter of accounting principles
            or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or
            procedure, which disagreements if not resolved to the satisfaction
            of the Former Accountants would have caused them to make reference
            thereto in their report on the financial statements for such years.

      (v)   During the fiscal years ended October 31, 1994 and 1995, and
            through the date of this report, none of the events described in
            paragraphs (a)(1)(v)(A) through (D) of Item 304 of Regulation S-K
            occurred.

(a) (2)  The Registrant engaged McGladrey & Pullen, LLP, as its new independent
         accountants effective December 4, 1996.  During the two fiscal years
         preceding its appointment and through the date hereof, the Company had
         not consulted with McGladrey & Pullen, LLP, on items regarding:
         
      (i)   The application of accounting principles to a specific completed or
            contemplated transaction, or the type of audit opinion that might
            be rendered on the Company's financial statements; there was no
            written or oral advice provided that was an important factor in
            reaching a decision as to any accounting, auditing or financial
            reporting issue; or

      (ii)  Any matter that was the subject of a disagreement (as defined in
            paragraph (a)(1)(iv) of Item 304 of Regulation S-K) or a reportable
            event (as described in paragraph (a)(1)(v) of Item 304 of
            Regulation S-K).

(a) (3)  The Company provided the Former Accountants with a copy of the
         foregoing disclosures and requested in writing that the Former
         Accountants furnish it with a letter addressed to the SEC stating
         whether or not it agrees with such disclosures.  A copy of such letter
         is filed as an exhibit to this Form 8-K.
          
ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

(a)   Not applicable.

(b)   Not applicable.

(c)   Letter from the Former Accountants as described in paragraph 4(a)(3)
above.
<PAGE>   3

                                   SIGNATURES


        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                                             SWISHER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
                                             
                                             
                                             
Date:  December 4, 1996                      By:  /s/ PATRICK L. SWISHER  
                                                --------------------------
                                                  Patrick L. Swisher, President





                                      -3-
<PAGE>   4

                              INDEX TO EXHIBITS



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT
NUMBER                   DESCRIPTION
- -------                  -----------
 <S>           <C>
  16           Letter from the Former Accountants as described in paragraph
               4(a)(3).

</TABLE>






<PAGE>   1
               [EHRHARDT KEEFE STEINER & HOTTMAN PC LETTERHEAD]


Securities and Exchange Commission
450 5th Street N.W.
Washington D.C. 20549

Gentlemen:

We have read and agree with the comments in Item 4 of Form 8-K of Swisher
International, Inc. dated December 4, 1996.


                                           /s/ EHRHARDT KEEFE STEINER & HOTTMAN
                                           Ehrhardt Keefe Steiner & Hottman PC
                                           Denver, Colorado
                                           December 4, 1996



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