ADVANCED PHOTONIX INC
DEF 14A, 1996-09-26
SEMICONDUCTORS & RELATED DEVICES
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                            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:
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                             <C>
/ /  Preliminary Proxy Statement                / /  Confidential, for Use of the Commission
                                                     Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
/X/  Definitive Proxy Statement
/ /  Definitive Additional Materials
/ /  Soliciting Material Pursuant to sec.240.14a-11(c) or sec.240.14a-12
</TABLE>
 
                             Advanced Photonix, Inc.
- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                (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), or 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 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 (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:
<PAGE>

                    Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders
                                   To Be Held
                                October 16, 1996


To the Stockholders of Advanced Photonix, Inc.:

You are invited to attend the Annual  Meeting of   Stockholders  (the "Annual
Meeting") of Advanced Photonix, Inc. (the "Company"),  which will be held at the
Westlake Village Inn, 31943 Agoura Road,  Westlake Village,  California at 10:00
a.m., Pacific time, on October 16, 1996, to consider the following matters:

(1)  The election of four Directors to hold office until the next Annual Meeting
     of Stockholders and until their respective  successors are duly elected and
     qualified.  The persons nominated by the Board of Directors (James W. Ward,
     James A.  Gordon,  Hayden  Leason and Jon B.  Victor) are  described in the
     accompanying Proxy Statement.

(2)  The  transaction  of such other  business as may properly  come before the
     Annual Meeting or any adjournments or postponements thereof.

The Board of Directors has fixed the close of business on August 23, 1996 as the
record date for the Annual Meeting. Only stockholders of record of the Company's
Common  Stock at the close of  business  on August 23,  1996 will be entitled to
notice  of,  and  to  vote  at,  the  Annual  Meeting  or  any  adjournments  or
postponements  thereof.  Shares can be voted at the Annual  Meeting  only if the
holder is present or represented by proxy.

The  accompanying  form of proxy is  solicited  by the Board of Directors of the
Company.  Reference  is  made  to  the  attached  Proxy  Statement  for  further
information with respect to the business to be transacted at the Annual Meeting.

A complete list of stockholders  entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting shall be
open to the  examination  of any  stockholder,  for any  purpose  germane to the
Annual Meeting, during ordinary business hours, for a period of at least 10 days
prior to the Annual Meeting,  at the Company's  principal  office,  1240 Avenida
Acaso, Camarillo, CA 93012.

STOCKHOLDERS ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING.  WHETHER OR NOT
YOU EXPECT TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL  MEETING IN PERSON,  PLEASE  COMPLETE,  DATE AND
SIGN THE  ACCOMPANYING  PROXY CARD AND RETURN IT WITHOUT  DELAY IN THE  ENCLOSED
POSTAGE  PREPAID  ENVELOPE.  YOUR PROXY WILL NOT BE USED IF YOU ARE  PRESENT AND
PREFER TO VOTE IN PERSON OR IF YOU REVOKE THE PROXY.

                                              By Order of the Board of Directors

                                              /s/ Patrick J. Holmes             
                                              Patrick J. Holmes
September 23, 1996                            Secretary


<PAGE>



                                 Proxy Statement

                         Annual Meeting of Stockholders

                                October 16, 1996

This Proxy Statement is furnished in connection with the solicitation of proxies
by the Board of Directors  of Advanced  Photonix,  Inc., a Delaware  corporation
(the  "Company"),  for use at the 1996  Annual  Meeting of  Stockholders  of the
Company and for any adjournments or postponements thereof (the "Annual Meeting")
to be held at the Westlake  Village Inn,  31943 Agoura Road,  Westlake  Village,
California,  at 10:00 a.m., Pacific time, on October 16, 1996,  for the purposes
set forth in the accompanying Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders.  A Board
of Directors'  proxy (the "Proxy") for the Annual Meeting is enclosed,  by means
of which you may vote as to the proposal described in this Proxy Statement.

All Proxies  that are  properly  completed,  signed and  returned to the Company
prior to the Annual Meeting,  and which have not been revoked,  will be voted in
accordance with the stockholder's  instructions  contained in such Proxy. In the
absence of instructions,  shares represented by such Proxy will be voted FOR the
election of the nominees of the Board of Directors  for  Director.  The Board of
Directors is not aware of any  business to be  presented  at the Annual  Meeting
except the matters set forth in the Notice and described in the Proxy Statement.
If any other  matters come before the Annual  Meeting,  the persons named in the
accompanying  Proxy  will vote on those  matters in  accordance  with their best
judgment.  A  stockholder  may revoke his or her Proxy at any time  before it is
exercised  by filing  with the  Secretary  of the Company at its offices at 1240
Avenida Acaso,  Camarillo,  CA 93012, either a written notice of revocation or a
duly  executed  Proxy  bearing a later date,  or by  appearing  in person at the
Annual Meeting and expressing a desire to vote his or her shares in person.

This  Proxy  Statement  and  the  accompanying   Notice  of  Annual  Meeting  of
Stockholders,  Proxy and 1996 Annual  Report to  Stockholders  are being sent to
stockholders on or about September 23, 1996.

                                VOTING SECURITIES

August  23,  1996 has been  fixed as the record  date for the  determination  of
stockholders  entitled  to notice of and to vote at the  Annual  Meeting  or any
adjournment  or  postponement   thereof.  As  of  that  date,  the  Company  had
outstanding  10,823,066  shares  of Class A and Class B Common  Stock,  $.01 par
value,  excluding 22,223 Class B treasury shares. The presence,  in person or by
proxy, of stockholders  entitled to cast a majority of votes which  stockholders
are entitled to cast in the election of Directors  will  constitute a quorum for
the Annual Meeting.  Holders of Class A and Class B Common Stock are entitled to
one vote for each share  owned upon all matters to be  considered  at the Annual
Meeting.  Proxies  marked  "Abstain" are included in  determining a quorum,  but
broker  proxies  which  have not  voted in the  election  of  Directors  are not
included in determining a quorum for such matter.  There is no cumulative voting
in the election of Directors.

                                       1

<PAGE>

SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

The  following  table  sets  forth, as of August 23,1996,  certain  information
concerning  the  holdings  of each person who was known by the Company to be the
beneficial  owner of more than five  percent (5%) of the  outstanding  shares of
Class A or Class B Common Stock of the Company,  by each  director and executive
officer and by all directors and officers as a group.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                             Class A Common Stock                          Class B Common Stock
                                 --------------------------------------------    ------------------------------------------
                                                 Shares Under                                   Shares Under
                                   Shares         Exercisable      Percent of      Shares        Exercisable       Percent  Percent
                                    Owned      Options/Warrants 1     Class         Owned     Options/Warrants    of Class  Voting 2
<CAPTION>
<S>                                <C>                    <C>            <C>          <C>          <C>                 <C>      <C>

Hayden Leason 3                    1,274,100               12,500        12.0         -               -                   -     11.9
The Dreyfus Corporation 4            985,000                    -         9.2         -               -                   -      9.1
J. Morton Davis 5                    656,045              333,340         9.0         -               -                   -      8.9
James A. Gordon 6                    781,040               27,500         7.6         -               -                   -      7.5
Edgewater Private Equity Fund 7      781,040               27,500         7.6         -               -                   -      7.5
Advanced Detectors, Inc. 8            -                   750,000         6.6         -               -                   -      6.5
John Pappajohn 9                     186,668              500,000         6.1         -               -                   -      6.1
Jon B. Victor 10                     187,400               12,500         1.9         -               -                   -      1.8
Andrzej J. Dabrowski 11               -                    82,000         0.8         -            80,000              35.6      1.5
James W. Ward                         13,850               90,000         1.0         -               -                   -      1.0
Patrick J. Holmes                     50,000               54,000         1.0         -               -                   -      1.0
Harry Melkonian                       10,000               60,000         0.7         -               -                   -      0.6
Robert C. King                        22,000               12,000         0.3         -               -                   -      0.3
Directors & Officers as a Group    2,150,990              350,500        22.7         -            80,000              35.6     22.9


<FN>

- --------
1 Includes shares under options/warrants exercisable on August 23, 1996 and options which become  exercisable within
  60 days thereafter. 

2 Represents combined voting power of both Class A and Class B Common Stock, assuming beneficial owner exercises all
  exercisable options and warrants.

3 The address of this shareholder is Palmas Del Mar,10 Monte Sol, Humacao, Puerto Rico 00791.

4 Shareholder is a subsidiary of Mellon Bank,N. A., One Mellon Bank Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15258-0001.

5 The address of this shareholder is D.H. Blair, 44 Wall Street,  New York, NY 10005. Does not include 750,000 shares of
Class A  Common  Stock  underlying  options  owned by  Advanced  Detectors,  Inc.  (ADI)  Mr.  Davis  beneficially  owns
approximately  49% of ADI. Mr. Davis  disclaims  beneficial  ownership of the shares  underlying  options  owned by ADI.
Includes  617,760 shares and 333,340 shares  underlying a unit purchase option owned by D. H. Blair  Investment  Banking
Corp. and 38,285 shares owned by Parliament Hill Corporation.

6 The address of this  shareholder is c/o Edgewater  Private Equity Fund,  4225 Woodlawn  Drive,  Des Moines,  IA 50306.
Includes  593,640 shares owned by Edgewater  Private  Equity Fund,  LP  (Edgewater).  Mr. Gordon is the President of
Gordon  Management,  Inc. which is the general  partner of Edgewater.  Includes  187,400 shares owned by Mr. Victor (see
footnote 10). Mr. Victor is a shareholder of Gordon Management, Inc.

7 The address of this  shareholder is c/o Edgewater  Private Equity Fund,  4225 Woodlawn  Drive,  Des Moines,  IA 50306.
Includes 27,500 options granted to Mr. Gordon ( see footnote 6) and 187,400 shares owned by Mr. Victor (see footnote 10).

8 Formerly Xsirius, Inc., the address of this shareholder is 1220 Avenida Acaso, Camarillo, CA 93012.

9 The address of this shareholder is c/o Equity Dynamics, 2116 Financial Center, Des Moines, IA 50309.

10 The address of this shareholder is c/o Greenwich  Ventures,  LLC, 2 Soundview Drive,  Greenwich,  CT 06830.  Does not
include 593,640 shares owned by Edgewater Private Equity Fund, LP (Edgewater). Mr. Victor is a shareholder of Gordon
Management,  Inc. which is the general partner of Edgewater.  Mr. Victor  disclaims  beneficial  ownership of the shares
owned by Edgewater.

11 Mr. Dabrowski  beneficially owns approximately 14% of Advanced Detectors, Inc. (ADI). Does not include 750,000 shares 
of Class A Common Stock underlying  options owned by ADI. Mr. Dabrowski  disclaims  beneficial  ownership of the shares
underlying the ADI option.

                                        2

</FN>
</TABLE>
<PAGE>

Section  16(a) of the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934  requires the  Company's
officers and Directors and persons who own more than ten percent of a registered
class of the Company's equity securities  (collectively the "Reporting Persons")
to file reports of beneficial  ownership and changes in beneficial  ownership of
the Company's equity securities with the Securities and Exchange  Commission and
to furnish the  Company  with copies of these  reports.  Based on the  Company's
review of copies of these reports  received by it, the Company believes that all
filings  required to be made by the  Reporting  Persons  during fiscal year 1996
were made on a timely basis.

ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

A Board of four Directors of the Company is to be elected at the Annual Meeting,
each to serve,  subject to the  provisions of the Company's  by-laws,  until the
next Annual Meeting of Stockholders  and until his successor is duly elected and
qualified. It is management's recommendation that the accompanying form of Proxy
be voted FOR the election as Directors of the four persons  named below,  all of
whom are  currently  Directors of the Company.  The Board of Directors  believes
that the nominees named below are willing to serve as Directors. However, in the
event that any of the nominees  should  become unable or unwilling to serve as a
Director,  the Proxy will be voted for the election of such person or persons as
shall be designated  by the  Directors.  The Board of Directors  does not have a
nominating  committee.  Dr. Andrzej J. Dabrowski has determined not to stand for
reelection  to the Board of  Directors  but will  continue  in his  capacity  as
Executive  Vice  President and Chief  Scientific  Officer.  After this election,
three  vacancies  will exist on the Board that are not  intended to be filled at
this time.

The following persons are nominees for election as Directors:

          Name             Age        Position

James W. Ward               57        Chairman of the Board of Directors
                                      President and Chief Executive Officer

James A. Gordon             46        Director

Hayden Leason               65        Director

Jon B. Victor               44        Director

Set forth below is certain  information  relating  to the other  officers of the
Company:

          Name             Age        Position

Andrzej J. Dabrowski        57        Executive Vice President, 
                                      Chief Scientific Officer, Director

Patrick J. Holmes           50        Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, 
                                      Corporate Secretary and Treasurer

Robert C. King              52        Vice President of Business Development

Harry Melkonian             46        Vice President-Operations, General Manager

James W. Ward, Chairman of the Board,  President and Chief Executive Officer 
Mr. Ward joined the Company on May 10,  1994 as  President  and Chief  Executive
Officer and was elected Chairman of the Board effective February 28, 1995. Prior
to joining the Company,  he was President and CEO of Boss Golf Company,  Inc., a
company that he co-founded in September 1992. From 1990 to 1992, Mr. Ward 

                                       3
<PAGE>

was  President  of Ling  Electronics,  Inc.  a  manufacturer  of  electrodynamic
vibration  test systems  worldwide.  From 1980 through 1989, he was President of
two Gulton Industries,  Inc. companies,  Engineered Magnetics and Transrex.  Mr.
Ward  experienced a distinguished  career with General  Electric  Company over a
period of 18 years,  holding various management  responsibilities  in marketing,
engineering,  manufacturing and quality assurance,  primarily for the commercial
nuclear power  generating  plant business.  He also served on the IEEE Standards
Committee that  generated the IEEE Standard on Nuclear  Quality  Assurance.  Mr.
Ward is a Registered  Professional  Engineer in California and past-recipient of
The  Missouri  Honor Award for  Distinguished  Service in  Engineering  from the
University of Missouri,  Columbia.  He holds a Bachelor of Science  Degree and a
Master of  Science  Degree in  electrical  engineering  from the  University  of
Missouri.

James A. Gordon, Director
Mr. Gordon became a director of the Company in August 1992.  Since January 1992,
Mr. Gordon has been President of Gordon  Management,  Inc., which is the general
partner of Edgewater Private Equity Fund LP,  a limited  partnership  formed for
investment  purposes.  In addition,  Mr. Gordon has managed Focused Value Equity
portfolios  since 1985. Since 1986, Mr. Gordon has been a member of the Board of
Directors of Bankers  Trust  Company  (Iowa),  and has served as Chairman of its
Trust and Investment  Committee,  as well as a member of both its Audit and Loan
Committees.  He  presently  serves as a member of the Boards of Directors of the
following  organizations:  Grinnell  College  (also  serving as  Chairman of the
Investment Committee);  IMNET, Inc.; SoftNet Systems,  Inc.;  HealthDesk,  Inc.;
Cellular World Corp.; DAC Vision,  Inc.;  Microware Systems  Corporation;  Pride
Industries,  Inc.;  and  Pangea,  Inc.  He is  currently  a Board  member of the
National  Committee for the Performing  Arts of the Kennedy  Center.  Mr. Gordon
served as a member of the Board of  Directors  for Des  Moines Art  Center;  Des
Moines Ballet;  Des Moines Metro Opera;  Governor's  United Nations Board;  Iowa
Society to Prevent  Blindness;  Des Moines  Parent  Teacher  Association;  Young
President's Organization; and Northwestern University Alumni Board.

Hayden Leason, Director
Mr.  Leason  became a director of the Company in July 1995.  In 1965 Mr.  Leason
founded  Filtertek  Inc., a designer and  manufacturer  of specialty  filtration
elements, which subsequently became a New York Stock Exchange listed company. He
served as  Chairman  and Chief  Executive  Officer  until  1992 when he sold his
interest  to Schawk Inc.  Since 1992,  Mr.  Leason has managed  various  private
investments.  Mr. Leason is a 1954 graduate of Northwestern  University where he
received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.

Jon B. Victor, Director
Mr.  Victor  became a director  of the Company in June 1995.  Mr.  Victor is the
Manager of Greenwich  Ventures,  LLC, which is the general  partner of Greenwich
Ventures,  LP  and  Vantage  Ventures,  CV,  Investment  Partnerships  which  he
organized  in 1996.  He began  his  career  in the  equity  research  and  trust
departments of the Bank of New
                                       
                                        4

<PAGE>

York.  From 1978 through 1982 he worked for J. & W. Seligman & Co., where he was
responsible for offshore advisory relationships, and was President of the firm's
broker/dealer subsidiary. Mr. Victor founded Security Capital Management,  Inc.,
an  investment   advisory  firm,  in  1983,  and  served  as  its  President  or
Co-President until 1996. In 1992, Mr. Victor co-founded Gordon Management, Inc.,
the general partner of Edgewater  Private Equity Fund, LP, and Edgewater Private
Equity Fund II, LP. Mr. Victor is a 1973 magna cum laude  graduate of Washington
University and a 1977 graduate of the George Washington University School of Law
where he earned his J.D. cum laude and  completed  his M.B.A.  course work.  Mr.
Victor serves on the Board of Directors of several private  investment firms and
acts as an independent arbitrator for the National Futures Association.

Andrzej J.  Dabrowski,  Ph.D.,  Executive  Vice  President and Chief  Scientific
Officer
Dr. Dabrowski has been a Director since the Company's inception in June 1988. He
served as President,  Chief Executive Officer, and Treasurer of the Company from
June 1988 until June 1989.  He rejoined  the Company in April 1994 as  Executive
Vice President and Chief  Scientific  Officer.  Dr.  Dabrowski was President and
Chief  Executive  Officer of ADI from its  inception in June 1985 until  January
1991.  From January 1991 until November 1992, he served as Vice Chairman of ADI,
and since November 1992 until April 1994, again as that company's President.  He
has been a director of ADI since its inception. Prior to these appointments, Dr.
Dabrowski  served as Director of the  Institute of Physics at the  University of
Southern California (USC), School of Medicine and headed the Solid State Physics
Group within the Institute of Physics and Imaging  Science,  an applied research
group in the School of Medicine. Among other accomplishments,  Dr. Dabrowski was
Vice  Director  of  the  Semiconductor  Laboratory  and  Head  of  the  Compound
Semiconductor  Group at the Institute of Nuclear Research in Poland. He received
his Ph.D.  in physics from the Institute of Nuclear  Research in Swierk,  Poland
and his master's  degree in solid state physics from the University of Warsaw in
Poland.

Patrick J. Holmes,  Vice  President,  Chief  Financial  Officer,  Corporate
Secretary and Treasurer
Mr.  Holmes  joined the  Company in August  1993.  From 1989 until  joining  the
Company, Mr. Holmes was a Division Controller for Textron,  Inc. From 1985 until
1989, he was Chief Accountant and Financial  Operations Manager for two start-up
companies of Lockheed Corporation in Sunnyvale, CA. Previously,  Mr. Holmes held
senior  financial  posts with General  Dynamics and Datapoint  Corporation.  Mr.
Holmes, who is a Certified Public Accountant, received his degree in accounting,
magna cum laude, from the University of Missouri in St. Louis.

Robert C. King, Vice President of Business Development
Mr.  King  joined the  Company in  December  1995.  From 1992 until  joining the
Company,  Mr. King was Vice President,  Sales and Marketing of Medical Materials
Corporation.  From 1989 until 1992, he was Vice  President,  Market and Business
Development  of PCO, a subsidiary  of Corning  Incorporated  and an affiliate of
IBM. From 1986 until 1989, he was Executive Vice President,  Sales and Marketing
of Wangtek. Prior to 1986, Mr. King held sales and executive level positions for
Granger  Associates,  Q.T. Wiles and  Associates,  TRW  Semiconductor  and North
American  Aviation.  Mr. King holds a Bachelor of Science  degree in  Mechanical
Engineering, cum laude, from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.

Harry Melkonian, Vice President of Operations and General Manager
Mr.  Melkonian  joined the Company in June 1992,  and in 1993,  he was appointed
General Manager of the Company's PIN Diode business. From 1989 until joining the
Company,  Mr. Melkonian  operated Melkonian  Associates,  a consulting firm that
assisted the Company in the  acquisition  of its  subsidiary,  Silicon  Detector
Corporation.  From 1987 until 1989,  he was Director of  Operations at Simulaser
Corporation;  and for six years  previously,  he held various  operations  level
positions at Sensor  Technology,  Inc. Mr. Melkonian holds a Bachelor of Science
degree in Business Administration from Northeastern University.

Directors serve annual terms until the next annual meeting of  stockholders  and
until their successors are elected and qualified. Officers serve at the pleasure
of the Board of Directors. Pursuant to an agreement between the Company and D.H.
Blair,  entered  into in  connection  with a private  placement  offering of the
Company's  capital  in 1992,  D.H.  Blair has the right,  at its option  through
August 10,  1997,  to  designate  one  director to the Board of Directors of the
Company. To date, it has not exercised its option.

Meetings and Committees of the Board of Directors

The Board of Directors held five meetings during the fiscal year ended March 31,
1996 and acted by unanimous consent on one occasion.  The Board of Directors has
the following standing committees: Audit Committee and Compensation Committee.

The Audit Committee reviews the accounting principles, the controls and scope of
the audit practices of the Company, and makes reports and recommendations to the
Board of Directors on those matters and with respect to the independent auditor.
It met one time in fiscal  1996.  The  members  of the Audit  Committee  are Mr.
Leason,  Chairman,  Mr. Gordon and Mr. Victor.  

The  Compensation  Committee  was  established  to evaluate  both  Directors and
management compensation plans 

                                       5

<PAGE>

as well as the Company's  stock option and incentive  plans. It met two times in
fiscal 1996. The members of the Compensation  Committee are Mr. Victor Chairman,
Mr. Leason and Mr. Gordon.

Compensation of Directors

Directors and Committee members do not receive fees for their services.  Each of
the  Directors  who is not an employee of the Company is eligible  for grants of
stock options upon their  appointment  to the Board of Directors  under the 1991
Special Directors Stock Option Plan  ("Directors'  Plan") and on an annual basis
so long as they remain on the Board.  On October 18, 1995,  the Board approved a
resolution to suspend  participation in the Directors' Plan until the resolution
is  thereafter  countermanded.   The  resolution  did  not  affect  any  options
previously granted under the Directors' Plan. All Directors,  including employee
Directors,  are reimbursed for reasonable travel expenses incurred in connection
with their attending meetings of the Board of Directors and Committees.

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

The following table sets forth  compensation  paid or accrued by the Company for
services  rendered to the Company's Chief  Executive  Officer and to each of the
other  executive  officers  of the  Company  whose  cash  compensation  exceeded
$100,000 for services rendered during the last three fiscal years.

 <TABLE>
                                              SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE
<CAPTION>
                                                                                      Long Term Compensation
                                                                                ------------------------------------
                                                  Annual Compensation                    Awards            Payouts
                                                                                Restricted   Securities
Name and                                                         Other Annual     Stock      Underlying      LTIP         All Other
Principal                      Fiscal      Salary      Bonus     Compensation     Awards       Options     Payouts      Compensation
Position                        Year         ($)        ($)          ($)            ($)          (#)         ($)            ($)(1)
- --------                        ----        -----      -----        -----          -----        -----       -----          -----
<S>                          <C>         <C>          <C>           <C>              <C>      <C>             <C>           <C>     
James W. Ward                1996        173,000      25,000          -              -            -           -             4,700
Chairman of the Board,       1995        142,000         -            -              -        150,000 (3)     -             3,600
President and Chief Executive
Officer (2)
- ---------------------------- ----------  ----------- --------- ---------------- -----------  ------------ ----------  --------------
Andrzej J. Dabrowski         1996        127,000      15,000          -              -            -           -             3,900
Executive Vice President,    1995        115,000         -            -              -         75,000 (4)     -             2,800
Chief Scientific Officer     1994            -           -          5,000(5)         -            -           -               -
and Director
- ---------------------------- ----------  ----------- --------- ---------------- -----------  ------------ ----------  --------------
Patrick J. Holmes            1996        125,000      15,000          -              -            -           -             3,800
Vice President, Chief        1995        125,000         -            -              -          80,000        -             3,800
Financial Officer Corporate  1994         79,000         -            -              -            -(6)        -             1,800
Secretary and Treasurer
- ---------------------------- ----------  ----------- --------- ---------------- -----------  ------------ ----------  --------------
Harry Melkonian              1996        110,000      15,000          -              -            -           -             3,300
Vice President of Operations 1995        110,000      15,000          -              -          60,000        -             3,300
& General Manager            1994        104,000         -            -              -            -           -             3,100
- ---------------------------- ----------  ----------- --------- ---------------- -----------  ------------ ----------  --------------
<FN>
1 Represents amounts paid by the Company on behalf of the named person in connection with the Company's 401(k) Retirement Plan.

2 Mr. Ward became President and Chief Executive Officer on May 10, 1994, and became Chairman of the Board on February 28, 1995.

3 Does not include 150,000 option shares granted in May 1994 which were canceled in January 1995. See "Ten-Year Option  Repricings."

4 Does not include 75,000 option shares granted in April 1994 which were canceled in January 1995. See "Ten-Year Option Repricings."

5 Represents a portion paid of annual Board fees while Dr. Dabrowski was not an officer of the Company. 

6 Does not include 60,000 option shares granted in August/October 1993 which were canceled in January 1995. See "Ten-Year Option
Repricings."
</FN>
</TABLE>
                                        6

<PAGE>

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS

James W. Ward entered into a two-year  employment  agreement with the Company on
January 16, 1996,  pursuant to which he serves as President and Chief  Executive
Officer.  In addition,  he was  appointed  Chairman of the Board on February 28,
1995. The Company has employment and  termination  agreements with certain other
employees, including Messrs. Dabrowski, Holmes and Melkonian. Under the terms of
all agreements, unless the Company gives notice within 90 days of the expiration
date, the agreements are renewed for one year.  Employees may receive  severance
pay under the  agreements  based upon the greater of the term of the contract or
up to nine months for Mr. Ward and six months for all others.

STOCK OPTIONS

The following  tables set forth  certain  information  concerning  stock options
granted to and exercised by the persons named in the Summary  Compensation Table
during the last fiscal year and  unexercised  stock options held by such persons
at the end of such fiscal year. No options were exercised during the last fiscal
year.

<TABLE>

                                              Option Grants in Fiscal 1996
                                                    Individual Grants
<CAPTION>

                                 Number of Securities   % of Total Options
                                      Underlying            Granted to           Exercise or
                                        Options            Employees in           Base Price              Expiration
Name(1)                               Granted (#)          Fiscal Year              ($/Sh)                   Date
- ----                                 -------------         ------------            --------                 -----
<S>                                     <C>                    <C>                   <C>                   <C>    

James W. Ward                              -                    -                     -                        -
Andrzej Dabrowski                          -                    -                     -                        -
Patrick J. Holmes                          -                    -                     -                        -
Robert C. King                          60,000                 60%                   2.25                  12/05/05
Harry Melkonian                            -                    -                     -                        -
- -------------------------------- --------------------- -------------------- ----------------------  -----------------------
<FN>

1    See "Summary Compensation Table" and Item 10 "Directors and Executive Officers" for principal position.

</FN>
</TABLE>
<TABLE>

                        Aggregated Option Exercises in Last Fiscal Year and FY-End Option Values

<CAPTION>
                                                                                                          Value of Unexercised
                                                                Number of Securities Underlying         In-the-Money Options at
                         Shares Acquired                     Unexercised Options at Fiscal Year End(#)    Fiscal Year End ($)
Name1                     on Exercise (#)  Value Realized          Exercisable/Unexercisable           Exercisable/Unexercisable
- ----                     ----------------- --------------          -------------------------           -------------------------
<S>                             <C>               <C>                   <C>                                  <C>    <C>    <C>

James W. Ward                   -                 -                      60,000/90,000                       82,500/123,750
Andrzej J. Dabrowski            -                 -                     147,000/45,000                       106,250/61,875
Patrick J. Holmes               -                 -                      44,000/36,000                       55,000/41,250
Robert C. King                  -                 -                      12,000/48,000                        8,250/33,000
Harry Melkonian                 -                 -                        60,000/0                             82,500/0
- ------------------------ ----------------  ----------------  -------------------------------------     --------------------------
<FN>
1    See "Summary Compensation Table" and Item 10 "Directors and Executive Officers" for principal position.
</FN>
</TABLE>


                                        7

<PAGE>
On January  18,  1995 the Board of  Directors  canceled  outstanding  options to
purchase an aggregate of 365,000  shares of the  Company's  Class A Common Stock
and granted to the holders of such options new options to purchase an equivalent
number of shares.  These options were the only options of the Company which have
been issued coincident with the cancellation of outstanding options or otherwise
repriced  since the Company's  inception  through  March 31, 1995.  The Board of
Directors  concluded  that the  subsequent  decrease in the market price for the
Company's Class A Common Stock below the exercise price for the canceled options
was  due to  factors  which  were  principally  not  all  within  the  realm  of
responsibility of the option holders and that the options no longer provided the
incentive  to such  option  holders to  perform on behalf of the  Company in the
manner  contemplated  by the Board  when the  canceled  options  were  initially
granted.  On the date of the issuance of the new options and the cancellation of
the outstanding options, the closing sale price for the Company's Class A Common
Stock as reported on the American Stock Exchange was $1.56.  The following table
sets forth certain  information  regarding the  aforementioned  canceled and new
options: <TABLE>

                                               Ten-Year Option Repricings
<CAPTION>

                                 Number of Securities   Market Price of   Exercise Price at               Length of Original
                                  Underlying Options   Stock at Time of       Time of       New        Option Term Remaining at
                                     Repriced or         Repricing or       Repricing or    Exercise            Date of
Name1                Date            Amended (#)         Amendment ($)     Amendment ($)    Price ($)   Repricing or Amendment
- ----                 ----            -----------         -------------     -------------    ---------   ----------------------
<S>                  <C>               <C>                   <C>                <C>            <C>              <C>

James W. Ward        1/18/95           150,000               1.56               3.25           1.56             9 years
Andrzej J. Dabrowski 1/18/95            75,000               1.56               3.31           1.56             9 years
Patrick J. Holmes    1/18/95            30,000               1.56               4.87           1.56             9 years
                                        30,000               1.56               4.50           1.56             9 years
Harry Melkonian      1/18/95            60,000               1.56               3.62           1.56             7 years
- -------------------- ----------  --------------------  -----------------  ----------------  ---------- -------------------------
<FN>
1    See "Summary Compensation Table" and Item 10 "Directors and Executive Officers" for principal position.
</FN>
</TABLE>

CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS

On May 16,  1995,  the Company  issued  Bernhardt  Denmark an option to purchase
400,000  shares of Class A Common  Stock at an exercise  price of $2.25 a share.
The  option,  which has a  five-year  term,  was issued in  connection  with Mr.
Denmark's  resignation  from the Board of  Directors,  and in  exchange  for the
cancellation  of options to purchase  400,000  shares of the  Company's  Class A
Common Stock at exercise  prices ranging from $4.625 to $5.00 a share which were
originally  granted to Mr. Denmark in 1992 and 1993 and which would have expired
by their terms three months after his resignation as a director.

RELATIONSHIP WITH INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

Arthur  Andersen,   independent   auditors,   audited  the  Company's  financial
statements  for  fiscal  years  1995-1996  and has been  selected  to audit  the
Company's financial  statements for fiscal year 1997.  Representatives of Arthur
Andersen  are  expected  to be  present  at the  Annual  Meeting  to  respond to
appropriate  questions from  stockholders and to make a statement if they desire
to do so.

EXPENSES

The  entire  cost of  preparing,  assembling,  printing  and  mailing  the Proxy
Statement,  the enclosed Proxy, Annual Report and other materials,  and the cost
of soliciting  Proxies with respect to the Annual Meeting,  will be borne by the
Company.  The Company will request banks and brokers to solicit their  customers
who  beneficially  own shares  listed of record in names of  nominees,  and will
reimburse those banks and brokers for the reasonable  out-of-pocket  expenses of
such  solicitations.  The solicitation of Proxies by mail may be supplemented by
telephone and telegram by officers and other  regular  employees of the Company,
but no additional compensation will be paid to such individuals.

                                        8

<PAGE>



STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS

Proposals of  stockholders  intended to be  presented  at the Annual  Meeting of
Stockholders in 1997 must be received at its principal executive office no later
than May 22, 1997.

                                             By Order of the Board of Directors

                                             /s/ Patrick J. Holmes
                                             Patrick J. Holmes
                                             Secretary
Camarillo, California
September 23, 1996

THE COMPANY WILL PROVIDE  WITHOUT CHARGE TO EACH PERSON  SOLICITED BY THIS PROXY
STATEMENT,  ON THE WRITTEN  REQUEST OF ANY SUCH PERSON,  A COPY OF THE COMPANY'S
ANNUAL  REPORT ON FORM 10-K FOR THE YEAR ENDED  MARCH 31, 1996 AS FILED WITH THE
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION  (INCLUDING THE FINANCIAL  STATEMENTS AND THE
SCHEDULES THERETO, BUT EXCLUDING EXHIBITS).  SUCH REQUESTS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO
CORPORATE SECRETARY, 1240 AVENIDA ACASO, CAMARILLO, CALIFORNIA 93012.

                                        9

<PAGE>

          THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
                            ADVANCED PHOTONIX, INC.
                    PROXY FOR ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
                                OCTOBER 16, 1996

The undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints James W. Ward, Hayden Leason and
Jon B. Victor or any one of them, as proxies,  with full power of  substitution,
to vote all shares of stock of Advanced Photonix, Inc. (the "Company") which the
undersigned  would be  entitled  to vote if  personally  present  at the  Annual
Meeting of Stockholders  of the Company to be held at the Westlake  Village Inn,
31943 Agoura Road, Westlake Village,  California, at 10:00 o'clock A.M., Pacific
Time, on October 16, 1996, or at any adjournments or postponements thereof:

(1)  Election of Directors

FOR all nominees listed below (except as marked to the contrary below) / /

WITHHOLD AUTHORITY to vote for all nominees listed below / /

James W. Ward, James A. Gordon, Hayden Leason, Jon B. Victor

(Instructions: To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee, strike
a line through the nominee's name in the above list.)

(2) To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting or 
any adjournment or postponements thereof.

                         (PLEASE SIGN ON REVERSE SIDE)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THIS  PROXY  WHEN  PROPERLY  EXECUTED  WILL  BE  VOTED  AS  SPECIFIED,  OR IF NO
SPECIFICATIONS  ARE MADE,  WILL BE VOTED BY THE PROXIES FOR THE  ELECTION OF THE
ABOVE  NOMINEES FOR DIRECTOR  AND TO USE THEIR  DISCRETION  TO VOTE ON ANY OTHER
MATTER AS MAY PROPERLY COME BEFORE THE MEETING.

THE UNDERSIGNED HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGES  RECEIPT OF THE NOTICE OF MEETING AND ANNUAL
REPORT FURNISHED HEREWITH.

Dated:_______________________,1996

_____________________________
Signature of Stockholder


_____________________________
Signature of Stockholder

Note:  When signing as  attorney-in-fact,  executor,  administrator,  trustee or
guardian, please add your title as such, and if signer is a corporation,  please
sign with full corporate name by duly  authorized  officer or officers and affix
the  corporate  seal.  Where stock is issued in the name of two or more persons,
all such  persons  should  sign.  Please  date,  sign and return in the enclosed
envelope promptly.



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