VALLEY SYSTEMS INC
DEF 14A, 1998-10-27
SANITARY SERVICES
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                              Valley Systems, Inc.
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                (Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)
 
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<PAGE>

                              VALLEY SYSTEMS, INC.

                               Canal Fulton, Ohio
                               ------------------

                    NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

                                   to be held

                                January 18, 1999

To the Stockholders:

         The Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Valley Systems,  Inc., a Delaware
corporation  (the  "Company"),  will  be  held  at the  Terrace  Garden  Hotel -
Buckhead, 3405 Lenox Road NE, Atlanta,  Georgia, on Monday, January 18, 1999, at
8:00 A.M., for the purpose of considering and acting upon the following:

         1.       The election of two directors to the Board of Directors;

         2.       The approval of the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers  LLP
                  as independent  auditors to audit the financial  statements of
                  the Company and its subsidiaries for fiscal year 1999; and

         3.       To transact such other  business  as may properly come  before
                  the Annual Meeting or any adjournment thereof.

         The Board of Directors  has fixed the close of business on November 23,
1998 as the  record  date  for  determination  of  stockholders  of the  Company
entitled  to  receive  notice  of  and to  vote  at the  Annual  Meeting  or any
adjournments thereof.

                                   By Order of the Board of Directors

                                         \s\  Dennis D. Sheets
                                              Secretary
Canal Fulton, Ohio
November 25, 1998

                             YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT
         Whether you expect to attend the  meeting or not,  please  date,  sign,
complete,  and return the  accompanying  proxy in the  enclosed  self  addressed
envelope as promptly as possible.


<PAGE>


                              VALLEY SYSTEMS, INC.
                            11580 Lafayette Drive, NW
                            Canal Fulton, Ohio 44614

                                 PROXY STATEMENT

                   GENERAL INFORMATION CONCERNING SOLICITATION

         This proxy statement is furnished in connection  with the  solicitation
of proxies by and on behalf of the Board of  Directors of Valley  Systems,  Inc.
(the  "Company"),  for its Annual Meeting of Stockholders  (the "Meeting") to be
held on the 18th day of January 1999, or any adjournments thereof. Shares cannot
be voted at the meeting  unless their owner is present in person or  represented
by proxy. On or about November 25, 1998,  copies of this proxy statement and the
accompanying  form of proxy shall be mailed to the stockholders of record of the
Company as of November 23, 1998,  accompanied  by a copy of the Annual Report on
Form  10-K of the  Company  containing  financial  statements  as of and for the
fiscal year ended June 30, 1998. The principal  executive offices of the Company
are located at the address indicated above.

         If a proxy is properly  executed and returned,  the shares  represented
thereby  will be voted in  accordance  with the  specifications  made,  or if no
specification  is made, the shares will be voted to approve each proposal and to
elect each nominee for director  identified  on the Proxy.  A  stockholder  may,
without affecting any vote previously taken,  revoke a proxy previously given by
a later proxy  received by the Company,  or by giving notice to the Secretary of
the Company either in writing or at the Meeting.

         All expenses in connection with the solicitation of proxies,  including
the cost of  preparing,  handling,  printing  and  mailing  the Notice of Annual
Meeting,  Proxies and Proxy Statements will be borne by the Company.  Directors,
officers and regular  employees of the Company,  who will receive no  additional
compensation  therefor,  may solicit  proxies by telephone or personal call, the
cost of which will be nominal and will be borne by the Company. In addition, the
Company will reimburse  brokerage houses and other  institutions and fiduciaries
for their expenses in forwarding proxies and proxy soliciting  material to their
principals.

         At the close of business  on October  21,  1998 there were  outstanding
7,906,617 shares of Common Stock of the Company (Common Stock) and 55,000 shares
of Series C Preferred  Stock  (Preferred  Stock),  which  constituted all of the
voting securities of the Company.  Each stockholder is entitled to cast one vote
for each share of Common Stock and each share of Preferred  Stock held by him or
her who is present at the Meeting either in person or by proxy.  Only holders of
record of the  Common  Stock and  Preferred  Stock at the close of  business  on
November  23,  1998 will be  entitled  to  receive  notice of and to vote at the
Meeting.

         PROPOSED SALE OF SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THE COMPANY'S ASSETS TO
                       HYROCHEM INDUSTRIAL SERVICES, INC.

         The Company has entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement with HydroChem
Industrial Services,  Inc. ("HydroChem") pursuant to which the Company will sell
substantially  all  of  its  assets  to  HydroChem  and  HydroChem  will  assume
substantially  all of the  Company's  liabilities  (the  "Sale").  The  Sale was
approved by the  Company's  Board of  Directors  on September 8, 1998 and by the
Company's  largest  common  stockholder  and its sole  preferred  stockholder on

<PAGE>

November 23, 1998. The Sale and information  pertinent  thereto are described in
detail  in the  Company's  Information  Statement  mailed  to  its  stockholders
concurrently with the mailing of this Proxy Statement.  All Company stockholders
are advised to review the  Information  Statement in full prior to executing and
returning the enclosed form of proxy.

                   BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF VOTING SECURITIES

         The  following  table sets forth certain  information  as of October 1,
1998 with respect to the beneficial  ownership of the Common Stock and Preferred
Stock of the Company by each beneficial owner of more than 5% of the outstanding
shares of each class. In addition,  this table includes the  outstanding  voting
securities  beneficially  owned by the executive  officers listed in the Summary
Compensation  Table,  Directors and Director nominees,  and the number of shares
owned  by  Directors  and  executive  officers  as  a  group.  Unless  otherwise
indicated,  the owners have sole  voting and  investment  power with  respect to
their respective shares.

                                                                      Percentage
Name and Address                                 Number of Shares     of Class
of Beneficial Owner           Position           Beneficially Owned   Owned

COMMON STOCK:
Rollins Investment Fund (1)   Stockholder          8,003,945 (2)(3)       75.3%
R. Randall Rollins (1)        Stockholder          8,003,945 (2)(3)       75.3%
Gary W. Rollins (1)           Stockholder          8,003,945 (2)(3)       75.3%
Ed Strickland (4)(8)          President/CEO          192,000               1.8%
Dennis D. Sheets (4)(9)       Vice President/CFO      50,000                (5)
Joe M. Young (1) (6)(10)      Director                24,000                (5)
Allen O. Kinzer (4)(11)       Director                17,800                (5)
All officers and directors
as a group (4 persons)                             8,287,745 (2)(3)(6)    78.1%

SERIES C PREFERRED STOCK:
Rollins Holding Company,
Inc. (1)(7)                   Stockholder             55,000             100.0%


(1) Addresses are c/o Rollins Investment Fund,  P.O. Box  647, Atlanta,  Georgia
    30301.

(2) Includes 2,314,000 shares that are subject to outstanding warrants currently
    exercisable by Rollins Investment Fund (RIF).

(3) RIF beneficially owns an aggregate 8,003,945 shares (including the 2,314,000
    shares subject to outstanding warrants currently  exercisable by RIF) of the
    Company's  Common  Stock  with  respect  to  which  RIF has sole  voting and
    dispositive power. Given his respective interest in RIF as a general partner
    thereof, as co-executor of the Estate of O. Wayne Rollins (Estate) (with the
    power to control  the Estate in its entirety),  and as sole  trustee of five
    trusts of which his five children are  beneficiaries, R. Randall Rollins has
    shared  voting and  dispositive  power with  respect to the entire 8,003,945
    shares held by RIF.Given his respective interest in RIF as a general partner
    thereof,  as co-executor of the Estate (with the power to control the Estate
    in its  entirety), and as sole  trustee  of four  trusts  of which  his four
    children are beneficiaries, Gary W.Rollins has shared voting and dispositive
    power with  respect to the entire  8,003,945 shares held by RIF.  Given each
    individual's ability to influence the  disposition of all of RIF's holdings,
    they have deemed it appropriate to report  beneficial  ownership on a shared
    basis for the entire number of shares held by RIF.

<PAGE>

(4) Addresses are c/o Valley Systems,  Inc.,  P.O. Box 603, Canal Fulton,  Ohio,
    44614.

(5) Owns less than 1% of the Company's Common Stock.

(6) Joe M.  Young,  presently  a  director  of the  Company,  and a  nominee for
    director of the Company, is General  Manager of RIF and was appointed to the
    Board of Directors of the Company pursuant to a right  guaranteed  to RIF in
    connection  with  it  purchase  of  Common  Stock of the Company in December
    1991. Mr. Young disclaims  beneficial ownership  of  the shares held by RIF,
    although due to his affiliation with RIF, and RIF's right to name a director
    of  the Company,  those  shares  are  included in the total reported for all
    officers and directors as a group.

(7) Rollins Holding Company, Inc. is an affiliate of RIF.

(8) Includes  80,000 shares subject to options that are presently exercisable or
    will  become exercisable  within  60 days  after  the  date  of  this  Proxy
    Statement.  Excludes 20,000 shares subject to options that are not presently
    exercisable and will not become exercisable within 60 days after the date of
    this Proxy Statement.

(9) Includes  20,000 shares subject to options that are presently exercisable or
    will become  exercisable  within  60 days  after  the  date  of  this  Proxy
    Statement.  Excludes 50,000 shares subject to options that are not presently
    exercisable and will not become exercisable within 60 days after the date of
    this Proxy Statement.

(10)Includes 24,000  shares subject to options that are presently exercisable or
    will  become  exercisable  within  60 days after  the  date  of  this  Proxy
    Statement.  Excludes 6,000 shares  subject to options that are not presently
    exercisable and will not become exercisable within 60 days after the date of
    this Proxy Statement.

(11)Includes 16,000 shares subject to options  that are presently exercisable or
    will  become  exercisable  within 60 days  after  the  date  of  this  Proxy
    Statement.  Excludes 4,000 shares  subject to options that are not presently
    exercisable and will not become exercisable within 60 days after the date of
    this Proxy Statement.


                              ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

         At the Meeting, it is intended to elect a Board of two Directors,  each
to hold office  until the next  Annual  Meeting of  Stockholders  or until their
respective  successors  are elected and  qualified.  The nominees are  presently
serving as  Directors  of the  Company.  Each of the  nominees  listed below has
consented to serve as a Director if elected. Unless authority to vote for one or
more nominees is withheld,  it is intended that shares represented by proxies in
the accompanying form will be voted for the election of the following nominees.

         The following  table is based in part on information  received from the
respective  nominees  and in part on the  records of the  Company and sets forth
certain information regarding each nominee as of October 1, 1998.

                           Director   Principal Occupation During 
  Name               Age    Since     Last Five Years

  Allen O. Kinzer     58     1991     President of BMW Manufacturing Corp.
  Joe M. Young        69     1992     General Manager of Rollins Investment Fund

         The Board of Directors of the Company recommends that stockholders vote
in favor of both nominees for Director.

<PAGE>

                      COMMITTEES AND MEETINGS OF THE BOARD

         At present,  the Board of Directors has provided for three  committees,
the Audit Committee, the Stock Option Committee, and the Compensation Committee.
However,  the  Board as a whole  now  performs  the  functions  of  these  three
committees.  The function of the Audit Committee  includes the recommendation of
the  independent  auditors  to be  engaged  to  audit  the  Company's  financial
statements,  and also generally  monitoring the audit of the Company's financial
statements.  The function of the Stock Option Committee includes  responsibility
for the granting of stock  options  under all of the  Company's  employee  stock
option plans that may exist and be in effect from time to time.  The function of
the Compensation  Committee includes the setting of the compensation  levels for
the Company's officers.  During the fiscal year ended June 30, 1998 the Board of
Directors met three times,  including actions taken by unanimous written consent
of the directors.  All of the Company's current  Directors  attended 100% of the
meetings of the Board during fiscal year 1998.

         Each  non-employee  Director  receives  $1,000 for each  Board  meeting
actually  attended,  plus  reimbursement for actual expenses of such attendance.
Messrs.  Kinzer and Young have  received  options to purchase  20,000 and 30,000
shares of Common  Stock,  respectively.  The options  were granted on October 5,
1994 at an exercise  price of $1.50 per share,  market  value on that date.  The
options  are  exercisable  as to 20% of the total on or after  each of the first
five anniversary dates of the grants,  and terminate on the tenth anniversary of
the  grants.  The  options  are fully  vested and  exercisable  upon a change in
control of the Company.

                       VOTING PROCEDURES AND VOTE REQUIRED

         The Board of  Directors  of the Company will select an Inspector of the
Election, to determine the eligibility of persons present at the Meeting to vote
and to determine  whether the name signed on each proxy card  corresponds to the
name of a stockholder of the Company. The Inspector shall also determine whether
or not a quorum of the shares of the  Company  (consisting  of a majority of the
votes entitled to be cast at the Meeting)  exists at the Meeting.  A majority of
the outstanding shares will constitute a quorum at the meeting.  Abstentions and
broker non-votes are counted for purposes of determining the presence or absence
of a quorum for the  transaction  of business.  If a quorum exists and a vote is
taken at the meeting,  the  Inspector  shall  tabulate (a) the votes cast for or
against each proposal and (b) the abstentions in respect of each proposal.

         In accordance with the Delaware  General  Corporation Law, the election
of the nominees named herein as directors will require the affirmative vote of a
plurality  of the votes cast by the Common  Stockholders  and Series C Preferred
Stockholders  of the Company  entitled to vote in the election,  voting together
and not as separate  classes,  provided that a quorum is present at the Meeting.
Each share of common stock and Series C Preferred  Stock will have one vote.  In
the case of a plurality  vote  requirement  (as in the  election of  directors),
where no particular percentage vote is required,  the outcome is solely a matter
of determining the two  individuals  who receive the most votes,  and hence only
votes for or against the proposal (and not abstentions or broker  non-votes) are
relevant to the outcome.

<PAGE>
                             EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

         The following  table sets forth  information  with respect to the Chief
Executive  Officer  of the  Company  at June 30,  1998 and the  other  executive
officer at the end of the 1998  fiscal year whose  total  compensation  exceeded
$100,000 for that year.

                           SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE

                            Annual Compensation   Long Term Compensation
                            -------------------   ----------------------
                                                    Awards     Payouts
                                                    ------     -------
                                                    Securities 
                                          Other     Under-             All    
Name and                                  Annual    lying      LTIP    Other
Principal                  Salary  Bonus  Compens-  Options    Payouts Compens-
Position             Year    ($)    ($)   ation($)  /SARs(#)    ($)    ation($)
- --------             ----    ---    ---   --------  --------    ---    --------

Ed Strickland (1)    1998   40,000   -0-      -0-      -0-       -0-      -0-
President and Chief  1997   40,000   -0-      -0-      -0-       -0-      -0-
Executive Officer    1996   40,000   -0-      -0-      -0-       -0-      -0-

Dennis D. Sheets (2) 1998  128,654  15,000    -0-      -0-       -0-      -0-
Vice President and   1997  117,885  30,000    -0-      -0-       -0-      -0-
Chief Financial      1996  107,885  10,000    -0-      -0-       -0-      -0-
Officer

(1)  Mr. Strickland, age 51, was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer
     in October 1993. He is also an officer of LOR, Inc., which is owned by RIF,
     the majority owner of the Common  Stock of the  Company,  and has held this
     position for the past five  years.  Mr. Strickland  manages  several  other
     companies  for  LOR,  Inc.  The  Company  does  not pay RIF or LOR,  Inc. a
     management fee for his services.

(2)  Mr.  Sheets,  age 43,  joined  the  Company  in April  1993 as  Controller.
     Previously,  he  served as Chief Financial Officer for Hyper Shoppes,  Inc.
     Mr. Sheets was appointed  Vice  President,  Treasurer,  and Chief Financial
     Officer of the Company in July 1993, and Secretary in September 1994.


                     OPTIONS/SAR GRANTS IN LAST FISCAL YEAR

         There were no option/SAR grants made during the 1998 fiscal year to the
named executives.


              AGGREGATED OPTIONS/SAR EXERCISES IN LAST FISCAL YEAR
                     AND FISCAL YEAR-END OPTIONS/SAR VALUES

         There  were no  option/SAR  exercises  in the  1998  fiscal  year.  The
following  table  summarizes the number and value of  unexercised  options/SAR's
held by the named executives at June 30, 1998:

                                       Number of         
                                       Securities          Value of
                                       Underlying          Unexercised
                                       Unexercised         In-the-Money
                 Shares                Options/SARs at     Options/SARs 
                 Acquired    Value     Fiscal Year-end(#)  at Fiscal Year-End($)
                 on Exercise Realized  Exercisable (E)     Exercisable (E)
     Name           (#)        ($)     Unexercisable (U)   Unexercisable (U)
     ----           ---        ---     -----------------   -----------------  
 
Ed Strickland       -0-        -0-           60,000 E             -0-  E
                                             40,000 U             -0-  U
Dennis D. Sheets    -0-        -0-           15,000 E             -0-  E
                                             10,000 U             -0-  U

<PAGE>


                 LONG TERM INCENTIVE PLANS AND RETIREMENT PLANS

         The Company has never had any long term  incentive  plans or retirement
plans.


        JOINT REPORT OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND STOCK OPTION COMMITTEE
                            ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

         The  Board of  Directors  as a whole  performed  the  functions  of the
Compensation  Committee  throughout the 1998 fiscal year. The Company's  overall
executive compensation policy is as follows:

       o Attract and retain quality talent,  which is critical to both the short
term and long term success of the Company.

       o Create  a  mutuality  of  interest  between   executive   officers  and
         shareholders through compensation structures that share the rewards and
         risks of strategic decision-making.

         The Board has made  subjective  salary  decisions in an annual  review.
This  annual  review  considers  the  decision-making  responsibilities  of each
position,  the Company's  revenues and net earnings,  and the  experience,  work
performance,   and  team-building  skills  of  position  incumbents.  The  Board
subjectively views work performance and Company revenues and net earnings as the
most  important   measurement  factors.   The  remaining   measurement  factors,
decision-making  responsibilities,  experience  and  team-building  skills,  are
weighted equally.

         CEO Compensation - The Company's total compensation program for the CEO
and the other  executive  officers is determined  in  accordance  with the prior
paragraph.  Mr.  Strickland  was  named CEO in  October  1993.  Previously,  the
position  was vacant.  The Company did not  compensate  Mr.  Strickland  for his
services in Fiscal 1994. Beginning in October 1994, Mr. Strickland began drawing
a nominal salary. In accordance with the above policy, the Board determined that
the bulk of his compensation  would be in the form of stock options,  which were
granted at market price in 1994 and vest over five years.

                               BOARD OF DIRECTORS

                              Joe M. Young, Member
                             Allen O. Kinzer, Member



                             STOCK PERFORMANCE GRAPH

The  following  graph  sets  forth  the  cumulative  stockholder  return  to the
Company's  stockholders during the five years ended June 30, 1998, as well as an
overall stock market index (CRSP Total Return Index for The Nasdaq Stock Market:
US Companies)  and the  Company's  peer group index (CRSP Total Return Index for
The Nasdaq Stock Market:  Non-Financial  Stocks).  The stock  performance  graph
assumes $100 was invested on June 30, 1993 and reinvestment of all dividends.

<PAGE>

                 Valley Systems,     CRSP Total Return       CRSP Total Return
                     Inc.           Index: US Companies     Index: Non-Financial
                                                                 Stocks

July  1, 1993       100.0000             100.0000                 100.0000
June 30, 1994        57.1429             100.9615                  97.5408
June 30, 1995        32.1429             134.7850                 134.0464
June 30, 1996        32.1429             173.0351                 170.1772
June 30, 1997        46.4286             210.3582                 199.9808
June 30, 1998        29.4571             277.5587                 262.2153


                 CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS

         At the closing of the Sale,  approximately  $8.3 million of debt of the
Company which is currently  guaranteed by Rollins Investment Fund, the Company's
largest common  stockholder,  will be repaid by HydroChem and Rollins Investment
Fund will be released from its guarantee.

         Following  the closing of the Sale,  the Company  intends to repurchase
all of the outstanding  Series C Preferred  Stock from Rollins Holding  Company,
Inc. for a purchase price equal to $5.5 million (the  liquidation  preference of
the Series C Preferred Stock) plus accrued, unpaid dividends thereon,  estimated
to be approximately $96,250, assuming a closing date of December 31, 1998.

         Also,  following the Sale, the executive  officers and directors of the
Company will have their outstanding options to purchase Company Common Stock (an
aggregate of 175,000  shares)  redeemed by the Company at a price  determined by
the  Company's  Board of  Directors  to be the fair market value of such options
less the exercise price thereof ($1.50 per share in each instance) and will also

<PAGE>

receive a termination  bonus,  with the aggregate of the redemption  payment and
bonus to each  individual  expected to be $3.00 for each option  held,  less the
$1.50 exercise price thereof.

         As of the date hereof,  the Company's  executive officers and directors
owned options to purchase Common stock as set forth below:

 Ed Strickland, President and Chief Executive Officer             100,000 shares
 Dennis D. Sheets, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer      25,000 shares
 Joe M. Young, Director                                            30,000 shares
 Allen O. Kinzer, Director                                         20,000 shares


               APPROVAL OF THE APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
                    FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1999

         Subject to stockholder  approval,  the Board of Directors has appointed
the firm of  PricewaterhouseCoopers  L.L.P.,  Certified Public  Accountants,  as
independent  auditors to make an examination of the financial  statements of the
Company  for  the  fiscal  year  ending  June  30,  1999.   Representatives   of
PricewaterhouseCoopers  L.L.P.  will not be  present  at the  Annual  Meeting of
Stockholders.

         The Board of  Directors  of the Company  believes  the  appointment  of
PricewaterhouseCoopers  LLP for the 1999 fiscal year to be in the best  interest
of the Company and recommends  that it be approved.  If the  stockholders do not
approve  this  appointment,  the  Board  will  appoint  other  certified  public
accountants.

                                 OTHER BUSINESS

         While  management  of the Company does not know of any matters that may
be brought before the Meeting, other than as set forth in the Notice of Meeting,
the proxy confers discretionary authority with respect to the transaction of any
other  business.  It is expected  that the  proxies  will be voted in support of
management on any question that may properly be submitted to the Meeting.


                              STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS

         Appropriate  proposals of stockholders  intended to be presented at the
Company's 1999 Annual Meeting of Stockholders pursuant to Rule 14a-8 promulgated
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), must
be received by the Company by July 28, 1999 for inclusion in its Proxy Statement
and form of  proxy  relating  to that  meeting.  If the date of the 1999  Annual
Meeting is  subsequently  advanced or delayed by more than 30 calendar days from
the date of the 1998 Annual  Meeting,  the Company  shall,  in a timely  manner,
inform its  stockholders  of the change and the date by which such  proposals of
stockholders must be received.

         In  addition,  all  stockholder  proposals  submitted  outside  of  the
stockholder proposal rules promulgated pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange
Act  must be  received  by the  Company  by  October  11,  1999 in  order  to be
considered timely. If such stockholder proposals are not timely received,  proxy
holders  will  have  discretionary  voting  authority  with  regard  to any such
stockholder  proposals which may come before the Annual Meeting.  With regard to
such  stockholder  proposals,  if  the  date  of  the  1999  Annual  Meeting  is
subsequently  advanced or delayed by more than 30 calendar days from the date of

<PAGE>

the 1998  Annual  Meeting to which this Proxy  Statement  relates,  the  Company
shall,  in a timely manner,  inform  stockholders  of the change and the date by
which proposals must be received.


                              SECTION 16 COMPLIANCE

         Section  16(a) of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934  requires  the
Company's  executive  officers and directors,  and persons who  beneficially own
more than ten  percent  of the  Company's  stock,  to file  initial  reports  of
ownership and reports of changes in ownership  with the  Securities and Exchange
Commission ("SEC").  Executive officers,  directors and greater than ten percent
beneficial  owners are required by SEC  regulations  to furnish the Company with
copies of all Section 16(a) forms they file.

         Based  solely on a review of the  copies of  reports  furnished  to the
Company and written  representations  that no other reports were  required,  the
Company  believes  that  during the fiscal  year ended June 30, 1998 all of such
filing requirements were timely satisfied.


                           ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K

         The Annual  Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1998
is being  mailed to each  stockholder  of record  together  with this  Notice of
Annual Meeting of  Stockholders,  Proxy Statement and Proxy on or about November
25, 1998.


                              By Order of the Board of Directors

                              \s\ Dennis D. Sheets
                                  Secretary
Canal Fulton, Ohio
November 25, 1998


<PAGE>

                                    APPENDIX
(Side one of proxy card)

                              VALLEY SYSTEMS, INC.

               Proxy Solicited on Behalf of the Board of Directors

         The undersigned  appoints Ed Strickland and Dennis D. Sheets,  and each
of them, as true and lawful proxies with full power of substitution, to vote and
act for the undersigned at the annual meeting of stockholders of VALLEY SYSTEMS,
INC. to be held at the  Terrace  Garden  Hotel -  Buckhead,  3405 Lenox Road NE,
Atlanta,  Georgia,  on  Monday,  January  18,  1999,  at 8:00  A.M.,  and at any
adjournment  thereof,  as  fully  as  the  undersigned  could  vote  and  act if
personally  present on the  matters set forth on the  reverse  hereof,  and , in
their  discretion on such other matters as set forth on the reverse hereof,  and
in their  discretion  on such other  matters  as may  properly  come  before the
meeting.

              PLEASE SIGN, DATE AND RETURN THE PROXY CARD PROMPTLY
                          USING THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE.

                                               _________________________________
                                               Signature of Stockholder

                                               _________________________________
                                               Signature if held jointly

                                               ___________________________, 1998
                                               Please sign exactly as your name
                                               appears to the left. If voting
                                               shares are held jointly, each
                                               stockholder named should sign.
                                               Executors, administrators,
                                               trustees, etc., should so
                                               indicate when signing. If the
                                               signer is a corporation, please
                                               sign full corporate name by duly 
                                               authorized officer.

(Side two of proxy card)

         This  proxy,  when  properly  executed,  will be  voted  in the  manner
directed  herein by the  stockholder  named on the reverse  side  hereof.  If no
direction is made,  this proxy will be voted for election of all nominees listed
below and "FOR" all other items.

         The Board of directors recommends a vote FOR these items:
ITEM
1.  Elect Joe  M. Young and Allen O. Kinzer as directors of Valley Systems, Inc.
    (Company)  for terms  expiring  at the next  Annual  Meeting  or until their
    successors shall be elected and qualified.

      __ FOR ALL NOMINEES                          __ WITHHOLD FOR ALL NOMINEES
        (except as withheld in the space provided)

    To withhold authority for any individual nominee, write name of nominee here

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

2.  Approve the appointment of  PricewaterhouseCoopers LLC  as  the  independent
    auditors for the Company for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1999.

      __ FOR            __ AGAINST                __ ABSTAIN

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