CENTIGRAM COMMUNICATIONS CORP
DEF 14A, 1999-02-17
TELEPHONE & TELEGRAPH APPARATUS
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                            SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

                  Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of
                      the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                                (Amendment no. 1)


Filed by the Registrant    [X]                       
Filed by a party other than the Registrant   [ ]

Check the appropriate box:                 
[ ]  Preliminary Proxy Statement           [ ]  Confidential, for Use of the   
[X]  Definitive Proxy Statement                 Commission Only (as permitted by
[ ]  Definitive Additional Materials            Rule 14a-6(e)(2))               
[ ]  Soliciting Material Pursuant to       
     Rule 14a-11(c) or Rule 14a-12       

                      Centigram Communications Corporation
                ------------------------------------------------
                (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]   No fee required.
[ ]   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 transactions applies:

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

(2)   Aggregate number of securities to which transactions 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:

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(4)  Date filed:

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<PAGE>



                                 [Company Logo]


                    Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders
                                 March 26, 1999

TO THE STOCKHOLDERS:

         NOTICE IS HEREBY  GIVEN that the  Annual  Meeting  of  Stockholders  of
Centigram  Communications  Corporation,  a Delaware corporation (the "Company"),
will be held on Friday,  March 26,  1999 at 10:00  a.m.,  at the  offices of the
Company,  91 East Tasman Drive,  San Jose,  California  95134, for the following
purposes:


         1.       To  elect  two  (2)  directors  to  Class  I of the  Board  of
                  Directors.

         2.       To approve an  amendment  to the  Company's  1997 Stock Option
                  Plan to increase the number of shares of the Company's  Common
                  Stock reserved for issuance  thereunder from 730,000 shares to
                  1,030,000 shares.

         3.       To approve an amendment to the Company's  1991 Employee  Stock
                  Purchase  Plan  to  increase  the  number  of  shares  of  the
                  Company's  Common Stock reserved for issuance  thereunder from
                  775,000 shares to 900,000 shares.

         4.       To  ratify  the  appointment  of  Ernst  &  Young  LLP  as the
                  Company's  independent  auditors  for the fiscal  year  ending
                  October 30, 1999.

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

         The foregoing  items of business are more fully  described in the Proxy
Statement accompanying this Notice.

         Only  stockholders  of record at the close of  business  on February 5,
1999 are entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting.

         All stockholders are cordially invited to attend the meeting in person.
However,  to assure your  representation at the meeting,  you are urged to mark,
sign,  date and return the enclosed proxy as promptly as possible in the postage
prepaid  envelope  enclosed for that  purpose.  Any  stockholder  attending  the
meeting may vote in person even if he or she has returned a proxy.

                                      By order of the Board of Directors



                                      LARRY W. SONSINI
                                      Secretary

San Jose, California
February 19, 1999



<PAGE>



                                 [Company Logo]


                                 PROXY STATEMENT


General

         The enclosed  Proxy is solicited on behalf of the Board of Directors of
Centigram  Communications  Corporation  (the  "Company"),  for use at the Annual
Meeting of  Stockholders  to be held on Friday,  March 26, 1999 at 10:00 a.m. at
the offices of the Company, 91 East Tasman Drive, San Jose, California 95134, or
at any  adjournment or adjournments  thereof,  for the purposes set forth herein
and in the  accompanying  Notice  of Annual  Meeting.  The  Company's  principal
executive  offices  are located at 91 East Tasman  Drive,  San Jose,  California
95134, and its telephone number is (408) 944-0250.

         These proxy  solicitation  materials and the Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the year ended  October 31, 1998 were first mailed on or about  February 19,
1999 to all stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting.

Record Date; Outstanding Shares; Procedural Matters

         Stockholders  of record as of the close of business on February 5, 1999
(the "Record Date") are entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting.
On February 5, 1999,  6,583,598 shares of the Company's common stock,  $.001 par
value (the "Common Stock"), were issued and outstanding. Each share has one vote
on all  matters.  For  information  regarding  holders  of  more  than 5% of the
outstanding  Common Stock, see "SECURITY  OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS
AND  MANAGEMENT."  The  closing  sale  price of the  Company's  Common  Stock as
reported on the Nasdaq  National  Market System on February 5, 1999 was $10.4375
per share.

Revocability of Proxies

         A stockholder may revoke any proxy given pursuant to this  solicitation
by attending  the Annual  Meeting and voting in person,  or by delivering to the
Company's  Corporate  Secretary at the  Company's  principal  executive  offices
referred to above prior to the Annual Meeting a written notice of revocation, or
by  delivering  a duly  executed  proxy  bearing a date  later  than that of the
previous proxy.

         The  solicitation of proxies is made on behalf of the management of the
Company and the associated  costs will be borne by the Company.  The Company has
engaged American Stock Transfer & Trust Company to assist in the solicitation of
proxies for the meeting and will pay such company a customary fee.

         In addition to  solicitation  by mail and by American  Stock Transfer &
Trust Company,  the Company may use the services of its directors,  officers and
others to solicit proxies, personally or by telephone.  Arrangements may also be
made with brokerage  houses and other  custodians,  nominees and  fiduciaries to
forward  solicitation  material  to the  beneficial  owners of the stock held of
record  by such  persons  and the  Company  may  reimburse  them for  reasonable
out-of-pocket and clerical expenses incurred by them in so doing.

Deadline for Receipt of Stockholder Proposals for Annual Meeting for Fiscal Year
1999

         Proposals  of  stockholders  that are  intended to be presented by such
stockholders  at the  Company's  2000  Annual  Meeting  must be  received by the
Company no later than October 29, 1999 to be included in the proxy statement and
form of proxy relating to that meeting.

Fiscal Year End

         The Company's  Fiscal Year ends on the Saturday nearest October 31. The
Company's  last  fiscal year ended on October 31, 1998 and is referred to herein
as the "last fiscal year."


                                      -1-
<PAGE>

                                 PROPOSAL NO. 1
                              ELECTION OF DIRECTORS


         There are currently  seven  members of the Board of Directors,  divided
into three classes.  Class I presently consists of two directors who are serving
a three-year term expiring in 1999. Class II presently consists of two directors
who are serving a three-year term expiring in 2000. Class III presently consists
of three  directors who are serving  three-year  terms expiring in 2001. At each
annual meeting of stockholders,  directors elected to succeed those in the class
whose terms expire will be elected for a three-year term so that the term of one
class of directors  will expire each year.  In each case, a director  serves for
the  designated  term and until his or her  respective  successor is elected and
qualified.

         Two Class I directors are to be elected at this Annual Meeting to serve
a three-year  term expiring in 2002. The Board has nominated  James H. Boyle and
Robert L.  Puette for  election to the Class I board  seats.  Holders of proxies
solicited  by this Proxy  Statement  will vote the  proxies  received by them as
directed on the proxy card or if no direction  is made,  for the election of the
Board of  Directors'  nominees.  If any of the nominees is unable or declines to
serve as a director at the time of the Annual  Meeting,  the proxy  holders will
vote for a nominee  designated  by the present  Board of  Directors  to fill the
vacancy. It is not presently expected that any of the nominees will be unable or
will decline to serve as a director.

<TABLE>
         The names of the nominees of the Company and certain  information about
them as of  January  1,  1999 are set  forth  below.  The  names of and  certain
information about the Company's current directors as of January 1, 1999 are also
set forth below.  Information as to the stock ownership of each director and all
current directors and executive  officers of the Company as a group is set forth
below under "SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT."

<CAPTION>
Name of Nominee          Age       Principal Occupation                                        Director Since
- ---------------          ---       --------------------                                        --------------
<S>                      <C>       <C>                                                              <C> 
Class I Directors
James H. Boyle (1)       44        President of Boyle Enterprises, Inc.                             1988
Robert L. Puette (1)     56        President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company             1997

Class II Directors
David S. Lee             61        Chairman of the Board of Cortelco Systems Holding Corp.          1997
                                   and of CMC Industries, Inc.
Dean O. Morton           66        Retired Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer        1993
                                   and Director of Hewlett-Packard Company

Class III Directors
Doug Chance              56        President and Chief Executive Officer of WYSE                    1997
                                   Technology Inc.
James F. Gibbons         67        Professor of Electrical Engineering and Special Counsel to       1992
                                   the President, School of Engineering of Stanford University;
                                   Consultant, SRI International
Edward R. Kozel          53        Senior Vice President, Corporate Development,                    1998
                                   Cisco Systems, Inc.
<FN>
- -----------------------------------
(1)  Nominees for Class I Director
</FN>
</TABLE>


                                      -2-
<PAGE>

         Except as set forth below,  each of the  directors  has been engaged in
his principal  occupation set forth above during the past five years.  There are
no family  relationships  between  any  director  or  executive  officer  of the
Company.

         Mr.  Boyle was elected to the  Centigram  Board in November  1988.  Mr.
Boyle is President of Boyle  Enterprises,  Inc.,  a  management  and  investment
consulting  firm.  From  1988 to  1991,  Mr.  Boyle  was Vice  President  of BCE
Ventures,  which, at that time managed  venture  capital  investments for B.C.E.
Inc.,  and  Northern  Telecom.  Mr.  Boyle was  Manager of Venture  Capital  for
Northern Telecom from 1985 to 1988.

         Mr.  Puette was elected to the  Centigram  Board in September  1997, at
which time he became  President  and Chief  Executive  Officer  of the  Company.
Before joining  Centigram,  Mr. Puette served as President,  CEO and Chairman of
the Board at NetFRAME Systems, a high-availability computer server company, from
January 1995 to September  1997.  Prior to that,  Mr.  Puette was  President and
Chief Executive Officer of Puette  Consulting,  a marketing and sales consulting
firm,  from  November  1993 to December  1994.  Mr.  Puette held the position of
President of Apple USA from June 1990 to October  1993,  and was a Group General
Manager at the Hewlett-Packard  Company prior to that time. Mr. Puette is also a
director of Cisco Systems, Inc. and Quality Semiconductor Corporation.

         Mr. Lee was elected to the  Centigram  Board in March 1997.  Mr. Lee is
the   Chairman   of  the   Board  of   Cortelco   Systems   Holding   Corp.,   a
telecommunications company, and of CMC Industries, Inc., an electronics contract
manufacturing   company,   and  serves  as  a  director  of  Linear   Technology
Corporation,  an analog semiconductor company. From 1983 to 1985, Mr. Lee served
as a Vice President of ITT  Corporation  and as Group  Executive and Chairman of
its Business Information Systems Group.

         Mr. Morton was elected to the  Centigram  Board in November  1993,  and
became  Chairman of the Board in April 1997.  Prior to his retirement in October
1992, Mr. Morton was Executive Vice  President,  Chief  Operating  Officer and a
director of the Hewlett-Packard Company. Mr. Morton is a member of the boards of
directors of ALZA Corp., BEA Systems,  Inc., The Clorox Company,  Raychem Corp.,
KLA-Tencor Corporation and a number of private companies.

         Mr. Chance was elected to the Centigram  Board in 1997.  Mr. Chance has
been the President and Chief Executive Officer and a director of WYSE Technology
Inc., a manufacturer of computer  display  products,  since 1994.  Prior to that
time,  Mr.  Chance  was the  President  and  Chief  Executive  Officer  of Octel
Communications  Corporation from November 1990 to November 1993, and before that
served  as  Executive  Vice   President,   Network   Systems   Sector,   at  the
Hewlett-Packard Company.

         Dr. Gibbons was elected to the Centigram  Board in June 1992. He joined
the Stanford  University faculty in 1957, was appointed  Professor of Electrical
Engineering in 1964 and served as Dean of the School of Engineering from 1984 to
1996.  He was  appointed as Special  Counsel to the  President in June 1996.  In
addition,  since January 1996,  Dr.  Gibbons has served as a consultant  for SRI
International.  He  is a  director  of  Cisco  Systems,  Inc.,  Lockheed  Martin
Corporation, Raychem Corporation and El Paso Energy Corporation.

         Mr. Kozel was elected to the Centigram Board in January 1998. Mr. Kozel
serves as Senior Vice President, Corporate Development of Cisco Systems, Inc. He
served as the Chief  Technology  Officer and Senior Vice  President  of Business
Development of Cisco Systems, Inc. from 1989 to 1998.


                                      -3-
<PAGE>

Board Meetings and Committees

         The Board of  Directors  of the  Company  met a total of  eleven  times
during the last fiscal year.

         The Audit  Committee  of the Board of  Directors  consists of directors
James Boyle, Doug Chance and Edward Kozel. Doug Chance serves as the Chairman of
the Audit  Committee.  The Audit Committee met four times during the last fiscal
year.  This  Committee  is  primarily  responsible  for  reviewing  the services
performed by the Company's  independent  auditors and  evaluating  the Company's
accounting policies and its system of internal controls.

         The Compensation Committee consists of Dean Morton, David Lee and James
Gibbons.  David Lee  serves as  Chairman  of the  Compensation  Committee.  Such
committee did not meet during the last fiscal year.  This Committee is primarily
responsible for reviewing and  recommending  compensation to be paid to officers
of the Company.

         The Board of Directors  has no  nominating  committee or any  committee
performing such functions.

         During  the last  fiscal  year,  one  director,  Mr.  Edward R.  Kozel,
attended  less  than  75% of the  aggregate  of all  meetings  of the  Board  of
Directors and the  committees,  if any, upon which he served and which were held
during the period of time he served on the Board or such committee.

Directors' Fees

         Directors who are not employees of the Company are paid a fee of $1,100
per Board meeting  attended in person,  $750 if the meeting is held by telephone
conference call (or if a meeting held in person is attended by conference call),
$500 to each  Board  committee  member  for each  committee  meeting  when  held
concurrently  with a meeting  of the  Board,  whether  attended  in person or by
conference  call,  and $800 to each board  committee  member for each  committee
meeting  attended on a day other than a day on which a meeting of the full Board
is held. In addition,  each non-employee director is paid an annual retainer fee
of $12,000,  paid  quarterly.  Under the Company's 1997 Stock Plan, each outside
director of the Company is granted  options to purchase  20,000 shares of Common
Stock at the time of initial  appointment  or election  to the Board,  and 7,500
shares of Common Stock annually thereafter on the date of each Annual Meeting of
the  Stockholders;  provided  the Director has been a member of the Board for at
least six months. The Company also reimburses  non-employee directors for travel
and  related  expenses  incurred  in  attending  meetings  of the  Board and its
committees.

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

         No  interlocking  relationship  exists  between the Company's  Board of
Directors or  Compensation  Committee and the board of directors or compensation
committee  of any  other  company,  nor has any such  interlocking  relationship
existed in the past.

Required Vote

         The nominees  receiving a majority of affirmative votes will be elected
as Class I directors of the Company.

Recommendation

         The  Company's  Board of  Directors  recommends a vote FOR the nominees
listed above.


                                      -4-
<PAGE>

                                 PROPOSAL NO. 2
                        APPROVAL OF THE AMENDMENT TO THE
                             1997 STOCK OPTION PLAN


         The Company's  1997 Stock Option Plan (the "1997 Plan") was approved by
the  stockholders  in March 1997. The 1997 Plan is designed to retain,  motivate
and reward  senior  personnel  by  providing  such  personnel  long term  equity
participation in the Company relating directly to the financial  performance and
long-term  growth of the  Company.  A total of 730,000  shares of the  Company's
Common  Stock have been  reserved  for  issuance  upon the  exercise  of options
granted under the 1997 Plan. In December 1998,  the Board of Directors  adopted,
subject to stockholder  approval,  an amendment to the 1997 Plan to increase the
number of  shares  reserved  for  issuance  thereunder  from  730,000  shares to
1,030,000  shares.  Including the proposed  300,000 share  increase,  a total of
338,000 shares  remained  available for grant under the 1997 Plan on February 5,
1999.

         In 1993, Section 162(m) was added to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as amended (the "Code").  Section  162(m) limits the Company's  deduction in any
one fiscal year for federal  income tax purposes to  $1,000,000  per person with
respect to the Company's Chief Executive Officer and its four other highest paid
executive  officers  who are  employed on the last day of the fiscal year unless
the compensation was not otherwise subject to the deduction limit.  Compensation
which is  performance-based  and approved by the Company's  stockholders  is not
subject to the deduction limit.

Proposal

         The proposed  amendment to the  Company's  1997 Plan is to increase the
number of shares of the Company's Common Stock reserved for issuance  thereunder
from 730,000 shares to 1,030,000 shares.

Recommendation

         The Board of Directors  has  unanimously  approved the amendment of the
1997 Plan and recommends that stockholders vote FOR such amendment.

Description of 1997 Plan

         The  essential  features  of the 1997  Plan are  outlined  below.  Such
outline is qualified in its entirety by the  provisions of the 1997 Plan, a copy
of which was filed by the Company with the  Securities  and Exchange  Commission
and is incorporated  herein by reference.  Copies of the 1997 Plan are available
upon  written  request  to the  Company  at 91  East  Tasman  Drive,  San  Jose,
California 95134, Attn: Chief Financial Officer.

         General

         The 1997 Plan was approved by the  stockholders in March 1997. The 1997
Plan authorizes the Board of Directors (the "Board"),  or one or more committees
which the Board may  appoint  from among its members (a  "Committee"),  to grant
stock  options.  To date,  a total of  730,000  shares of Common  Stock has been
reserved for issuance under the 1997 Plan.  Options  granted under the 1997 Plan
may be either  "Incentive  Stock Options" as defined in Section 422 of the Code,
or nonstatutory stock options, as determined by the Board or the Committee.

         Additionally,  the  1997  Plan  provides  for the  automatic  grant  of
nonstatutory  stock options to purchase 20,000 shares of Common Stock to outside
directors at the time of such director's initial  appointment or election to the
Board,  and the automatic grant of nonstatutory  stock options to purchase 7,500
shares of Common Stock annually thereafter on the date of each Annual Meeting of
Stockholders,  provided the director has been a member of the Board for at least
six months.

                                      -5-
<PAGE>

         Purpose

         The general  purpose of the 1997 Plan is to attract and retain  quality
personnel  for positions of  substantial  responsibility,  to create  additional
incentive  for senior  personnel  of the  Company by  offering  long term equity
participation  in the  Company,  and to promote  the  success  of the  Company's
business.

         Eligibility

         The Option Plan  provides  that  options may be granted  thereunder  to
employees,  consultants and directors ("Optionees") of the Company. The Board of
Directors  selects the Optionees and  determines the number of shares subject to
each option. In making such  determination,  the duties and  responsibilities of
the  Optionee,  the value of the  Optionee's  services,  his or her  present and
potential contributions to the success of the Company and other relevant factors
are considered.

         Administration

         The  1997  Plan  may  be  administered  by  the  Board  or a  Committee
(collectively the "Administrator").  Subject to the other provisions of the 1997
Plan,  the  Administrator  has the  authority  to: (i) determine the fair market
value of the Common  Stock;  (ii) select the  Optionees  to whom  options may be
granted  thereunder;  (iii)  determine  whether and to what  extent  options are
granted  thereunder;  (iv)  determine the number of shares of Common Stock to be
covered by each option  granted  thereunder;  (v) approve forms of agreement for
use  under  the  1997  Plan;  (vi)  determine  the  terms  and  conditions,  not
inconsistent  with the terms of the 1997 Plan, of any award  granted  thereunder
(such terms and conditions include,  but are not limited to, the exercise price,
the  time or  times  when  options  may be  exercised  (which  may be  based  on
performance  criteria),   any  vesting  acceleration  or  waiver  of  forfeiture
restrictions,  and any  restriction  or  limitation  regarding any option or the
shares of Common Stock relating  thereto,  based in each case on such factors as
the Administrator,  in its sole discretion,  shall determine);  (vii) reduce the
exercise  price of any Option to the then  current fair market value if the fair
market  value of the Common  Stock  covered by such Option  shall have  declined
since the date the Option was granted;  (viii)  construe and interpret the terms
of the 1997 Plan and awards granted  pursuant to the 1997 Plan;  (ix) prescribe,
amend and rescind  rules and  regulations  relating to the 1997 Plan,  including
rules and  regulations  relating  to  sub-plans  established  for the purpose of
qualifying  for preferred tax  treatment  under foreign tax laws;  (x) modify or
amend  each  option,   including  the  discretionary  authority  to  extend  the
post-termination  exercisability  period of  options  longer  than is  otherwise
provided  for in the 1997 Plan;  and (xi) make all other  determinations  deemed
necessary or advisable for administering the 1997 Plan.

         Terms and Conditions of Options

         Each option granted under the 1997 Plan is evidenced by a written stock
option agreement ("Notice of Grant") between the Optionee and the Company and is
subject to the following terms and conditions:

         (a) Exercise Price. The Administrator  determines the exercise price of
options to purchase  shares of Common Stock at the time the options are granted.
However, excluding options issued to 10% stockholders (an Optionee who owns more
than 10% of the combined total voting power of all classes of outstanding  stock
of the Company),  the exercise price under an incentive stock option must not be
less  than 100% of the fair  market  value of the  Common  Stock on the date the
option is  granted.  If the  Common  Stock is listed  on any  established  stock
exchange or a national market system,  including without limitation the National
Market  of the  National  Association  of  Securities  Dealers,  Inc.  Automated
Quotation  System,  the fair market  value shall be the closing  sales price for
such stock (or the  closing  bid, if no sales were  reported)  as quoted on such
system or exchange (or the exchange with the greatest value of trading in Common
Stock) on the last trading day preceding the day of  determination,  as reported
in The Wall  Street  Journal or such  other  source as the  Administrator  deems
reliable;  provided,  however,  that in the  event the fair  market  value as so
determined is more than 20% greater or more than 20% less than the closing sales
prices  for such  stock as so  quoted  on the

                                      -6-
<PAGE>

date of determination, then the Administrator shall be entitled to determine the
fair market value in good faith,  at a price within the range of prices from the
fair market value as otherwise determined above to the closing price (or closing
bid, as applicable) on the date of determination.  If the Common Stock is quoted
on the System (but not on the National Market thereof) or is regularly quoted by
a recognized  securities  dealer but selling  prices are not provided,  the fair
market  value of a share of  Common  Stock  shall be the  average  of the  means
between  the high bid and low  asked  prices  for the  Common  Stock on the five
market trading days immediately preceding the date of determination, as reported
in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator of the 1997
Plan deems reliable;  provided, however, that in the event the fair market value
as so  determined  is more than 20%  greater or more than 20% less than the mean
between  the high bid and low asked  prices  for such  stock as so quoted on the
date of determination, then the Administrator shall be entitled to determine the
fair market value in good faith,  at a price within the range of prices from the
fair market value as otherwise determined above to the mean between the high bid
and  low  asked  prices  on the  date of  determination.  In the  absence  of an
established  market  for the  Common  Stock,  the  fair  market  value  shall be
determined in good faith by the  Administrator.

         (b) Form of Consideration.  The means of payment for shares issued upon
exercise of an option is specified in each option agreement and generally may be
made by cash,  check,  promissory  note,  other  shares of  Common  Stock of the
Company  owned by the  Optionee,  delivery of an exercise  notice  together with
irrevocable  instructions  to a broker  to  deliver  the  exercise  price to the
Company from sale or loan  proceeds,  reduction of any Company  liability to the
Optionee or, by a combination thereof.

         (c) Exercise of the Option.  Each stock option  agreement  will specify
the term of the option  and the date when the  option is to become  exercisable.
However,  in no event shall an option  granted  under the 1997 Plan be exercised
more  than 10 years  after  the date of  grant  or such  shorter  term as may be
provided  in the  Notice  of Grant.  In the case of an  Incentive  Stock  Option
granted to an Optionee who, at the time the  Incentive  Stock Option is granted,
owns stock  representing more the ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting
power of all classes of stock of the Company or any parent or  subsidiary of the
Company, the term of the Incentive Stock Option shall be five (5) years from the
date of grant or such shorter term as may be provided in the Notice of Grant.

         (d)  Termination  of  Employment.  Upon  termination  of an  Optionee's
continuous  status as an employee or consultant with the Company,  such Optionee
may  exercise  his or her option to the extent  that he or she was  entitled  to
exercise it as of the date of such  termination.  Such  exercise  may occur only
before  the end of the  period  determined  by the  Administrator  for  exercise
following  termination.  In the case of an Incentive  Stock Option,  such period
shall not exceed  three (3) months and in the event that no period is  specified
in any stock option  agreement,  such period shall be 30 days. In no event shall
such period extend beyond the  expiration  date of the term of the option as set
forth in the applicable  option  agreement.  An Optionee's change of status from
employee to consultant  shall not be treated as a termination  of the Optionee's
continuous  status as an  employee  or  consultant,  and any option  held by the
Optionee shall remain in effect,  except as provided herein below. Any Incentive
Stock Option held by such Optionee shall  automatically  cease to be treated for
tax purposes as an Incentive Stock Option and shall be treated as a Nonstatutory
Stock Option on the  ninety-first  (91st) day  following  such change of status.
Notwithstanding  the above,  within  thirty  (30) days after any such  change of
status,  the Administrator  may in its discretion  determine that such change of
status shall be treated as a termination of the Optionee's  continuous status as
an employee or  consultant.  To the extent that the  Optionee is not entitled to
exercise his or her option at the date of such  termination,  or if the Optionee
does not  exercise  such  option  to the  extent  so  entitled  within  the time
specified herein, the option shall terminate.

         (e) Disability.  If an employee is unable to continue as an employee or
consultant with the Company as a result of disability,  then all options held by
such  Optionee  under the 1997 Plan shall  expire upon the earlier of (i) twelve
months after the date of termination  of the  Optionee's  employment or (ii) the
expiration

                                      -7-
<PAGE>

date of the term of such option. The Optionee may exercise all or part of his or
her option at any time before such expiration to the extent that such option was
exercisable at the time of  termination  of  employment.  To the extent that the
Optionee  is not  entitled  to  exercise  his or her  option at the date of such
termination,  or if the Optionee  does not exercise such option to the extent so
entitled within the time specified herein, the option shall terminate.

         (f) Death.  Upon the death of an Optionee,  the option may be exercised
at any time within  twelve (12)  months  following  the date of death (but in no
event later than the  expiration  of the term of such option as set forth in the
Notice of Grant), by the Optionee's estate or by a person who acquired the right
to exercise  the option by bequest or  inheritance,  only to the extent that the
Optionee  was  entitled to exercise  the option at the date of death.  If at the
time of death,  the  Optionee  was not  entitled to  exercise  his or her entire
option,  the shares of Common Stock covered by the unexercisable  portion of the
option  shall  immediately  revert  to the  1997  Plan.  If,  after  death,  the
Optionee's  estate or person who  acquired  the right to exercise  the option by
bequest or  inheritance  does not exercise the option within the time  specified
herein, the option shall terminate,  and the shares covered by such option shall
revert to the 1997 Plan.

         (g)  Nontransferability  of Options.  In general,  an option may not be
sold, pledged, assigned, hypothecated, transferred, or disposed of in any manner
other  than  by  will  or by the  laws of  descent  or  distribution  and may be
exercised, during the lifetime of the Optionee, only by the Optionee.

         (h) Value Limitation.  If the aggregate fair market value of all shares
of Common  Stock  subject to an  Optionee's  Incentive  Stock  Option  which are
exercisable  for the first time during any calendar year exceeds  $100,000,  the
excess options shall be treated as nonstatutory stock options.

         (i) Other  Provisions.  The stock  option  agreement  may contain  such
terms,  provisions and conditions not inconsistent  with the 1997 Plan as may be
determined by the Board or Committee.

         Adjustments Upon Changes in  Capitalization,  Dissolution  Liquidation,
Merger or Asset Sale

         In the event that the capital stock of the Company is changed by reason
of  recapitalization,  dissolution,  liquidation,  merger  or  asset  sale,  the
following provisions will apply:

         (a) Changes in  Capitalization.  Subject to any required  action by the
stockholders  of the Company,  the number of shares of Common  Stock  covered by
each  outstanding  option,  and the number of shares of Common  Stock which have
been authorized for issuance under the 1997 Plan but as to which no options have
yet been granted or which have been returned to the 1997 Plan upon  cancellation
or  expiration  of an  option,  as well as the price  per share of Common  Stock
covered by each such outstanding option,  shall be proportionately  adjusted for
any  increase  or  decrease  in the  number  of issued  shares  of Common  Stock
resulting from a stock split,  reverse stock split, stock dividend,  combination
or  reclassification  of the Common Stock,  or any other increase or decrease in
the  number  of issued  shares  of Common  Stock  effected  without  receipt  of
consideration  by  the  Company;  provided,  however,  that  conversion  of  any
convertible securities of the Company shall not be deemed to have been "effected
without receipt of  consideration."  Such adjustment shall be made by the Board,
whose  determination  in that respect  shall be final,  binding and  conclusive.
Except as  expressly  provided  herein,  no issuance by the Company of shares of
stock of any class shall affect,  and no  adjustment by reason  thereof shall be
made with respect to, the number or price of shares of Common  Stock  subject to
an option.

         (b)  Dissolution  or   Liquidation.   In  the  event  of  the  proposed
dissolution or liquidation of the Company,  to the extent that an option has not
been previously  exercised,  it will terminate immediately prior to consummation
of such proposed  action.  The Board may, in the exercise of its sole discretion
in such instances, declare that any option shall terminate as of a date fixed by
the Board and give each  Optionee  the right to


                                      -8-
<PAGE>

exercise  his  or her  option  as to all or  any  part  of the  optioned  stock,
including shares as to which the Option would not otherwise be exercisable.

         (c) Merger or Asset Sale.  In the event of a merger of the Company with
or into another  corporation,  or the sale of substantially all of the assets of
the Company,  each outstanding option may be assumed or an equivalent option may
be  substituted  by the successor  corporation  or a parent or subsidiary of the
successor  corporation.  The  Administrator  may,  in lieu  of such  assumption,
provide for the Optionee to have the right to exercise the option as to all or a
portion  of the  optioned  stock,  including  shares  as to which  it would  not
otherwise be exercisable.  If the Administrator  makes an option  exercisable in
lieu of assumption or  substitution  in the event of a merger or sale of assets,
the  Administrator  shall  notify the  Optionee  that the option  shall be fully
exercisable for a period of fifteen (15) days from the date of such notice,  and
the option will terminate  upon the expiration of such period.  For the purposes
of this  paragraph,  the option shall be  considered  assumed if,  following the
merger or sale of assets,  the option  confers the right to purchase or receive,
for each share of optioned stock subject to the option  immediately prior to the
merger or sale of assets,  the  consideration  (whether  stock,  cash,  or other
securities  or property)  received in the merger or sale of assets by holders of
Common Stock for each share held on the effective date of the  transaction  (and
if holders were  offered a choice of  consideration,  the type of  consideration
chosen by the  holders  of a  majority  of the  outstanding  shares);  provided,
however, that if such consideration received in the merger or sale of assets was
not  solely  common  stock  of the  successor  corporation  or its  parent,  the
Administrator  may, with the consent of the successor  corporation,  provide for
the consideration to be received upon the exercise of the option, for each share
of  optioned  stock  subject to the  option,  to be solely  common  stock of the
successor  corporation or its parent equal in fair market value to the per share
consideration  received  by  holders  of Common  Stock in the  merger of sale of
assets.

         Amendments, Suspensions and Termination of the 1997 Plan

         The Board may amend,  suspend or  terminate  the 1997 Plan at any time;
provided,  however,  that stockholder  approval is required for any amendment to
the extent necessary to comply with Section 422 of the Code, or any similar rule
or statute. In any event, the 1997 Plan will terminate automatically in 2006.

         Federal Tax Information for 1997 Plan

         The  following  is a summary of the effect of federal  income  taxation
upon the  Optionee  and the Company  with  respect to the grant and  exercise of
options under the 1997 Plan.  Options  granted under the 1997 Plan may be either
"Incentive   Stock  Options,"  as  defined  in  Section  422  of  the  Code,  or
nonstatutory stock options.

         An Optionee who is granted an Incentive Stock Option will not recognize
taxable  income  either at the time the option is granted or upon its  exercise,
although the exercise may subject the Optionee to the  alternative  minimum tax.
Upon the sale or  exchange  of the shares more than two years after grant of the
option  and one year  after  exercising  the  option,  any gain or loss  will be
treated as long-term  capital  gain or loss.  If these  holding  periods are not
satisfied,  the Optionee will recognize  ordinary  income at the time of sale or
exchange equal to the difference between the exercise price and the lower of (i)
the fair market  value of the shares at the date of the option  exercise or (ii)
the sale price of the shares.  A different  rule for measuring  ordinary  income
upon such a premature  disposition may apply if the Optionee is also an officer,
director,  or 10% stockholder of the Company.  The Company will be entitled to a
deduction in the same amount as the ordinary income  recognized by the Optionee.
Any gain or loss  recognized  on such a premature  disposition  of the shares in
excess of the  amount  treated  as  ordinary  income  will be  characterized  as
long-term or short-term capital gain or loss, depending on the holding period.

         All other options  which do not qualify as Incentive  Stock Options are
referred to as  nonstatutory  stock options.  An Optionee will not recognize any
taxable  income at the time he or she is granted a  nonstatutory


                                      -9-
<PAGE>

stock option.  However, upon its exercise, the Optionee generally will recognize
taxable income generally measured as the excess of the then fair market value of
the shares purchased over the purchase price.  Any taxable income  recognized in
connection with an option exercise by an Optionee who is also an employee of the
Company may be subject to tax  withholding  by the Company.  Upon resale of such
shares  by the  Optionee,  any  difference  between  the  sales  price  and  the
Optionee's  purchase  price,  to the extent not  recognized as taxable income as
described  above,  will be treated as  long-term or  short-term  capital gain or
loss,  depending  on the holding  period.  The Company will be entitled to a tax
deduction in the same amount as the ordinary  income  recognized by the Optionee
with respect to shares acquired upon exercise of a nonstatutory stock option.

         The foregoing  does not purport to be a complete  summary of the effect
of federal income taxation upon holders of options or upon the Company.  It also
does not reflect provisions of the income tax laws of any municipality, state or
foreign country in which an Optionee may reside.

Plan Benefits

         The  Company  cannot now  determine  the exact  number of options to be
granted in the future under the 1997 Plan to the executive  officers named under
"EXECUTIVE  OFFICER   COMPENSATION  Summary  Compensation  Table,"  all  current
executive officers as a group or all employees (including executive officers) as
a group. See "EXECUTIVE OFFICER  COMPENSATION Stock Option Grants and Exercises"
for the number of stock options  granted to the executive  officers named in the
Summary Compensation Table in the fiscal year ended October 31, 1998.

Required Vote

         The affirmative vote of the majority of the Votes Cast will be required
under  Delaware law to approve the amendment to the 1997 Plan. For this purpose,
the term  "Votes  Cast" is defined  under  Delaware  law to be the shares of the
Company's  Common Stock present in person or  represented by proxy at the Annual
Meeting  and  "entitled  to vote on the  subject  matter."  Votes  that are cast
against  the  proposal  will be counted  for  purposes  of  determining  (i) the
presence or absence of a quorum for the  transaction  of  business  and (ii) the
total  number of Votes Cast with  respect  to the  proposal.  While  there is no
definitive  statutory  or  case  law  authority  in  Delaware  as to the  proper
treatment  of  abstentions  in the  counting of votes with respect to a proposal
such as the amendment to the 1997 Plan,  the Company  believes that  abstentions
should be counted for purposes of  determining  both (i) the presence or absence
of a quorum for the  transaction  of business and (ii) the total number of Votes
Cast with respect to the proposal.  In the absence of  controlling  precedent to
the  contrary,  the  Company  intends  to  treat  abstentions  in  this  manner.
Accordingly,  abstentions  will  have  the same  effect  as a vote  against  the
proposal.  In a 1988 Delaware  case,  Berlin v. Emerald  Partners,  the Delaware
Supreme  Court held that,  while broker  nonvotes may be counted for purposes of
determining the presence or absence of a quorum for the transaction of business,
broker  nonvotes should not be counted for purposes of determining the number of
Votes  Cast with  respect  to the  particular  proposal  on which the broker has
expressly not voted. Accordingly,  broker nonvotes with respect to this proposal
will not be counted as Votes Cast.


                                      -10-
<PAGE>

                                 PROPOSAL NO. 3
                            APPROVAL OF AMENDMENT TO
                        1991 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

         The 1991 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the  "Purchase  Plan")  provides
employees of the Company and its designated  subsidiaries with an opportunity to
purchase Common Stock of the Company through accumulated payroll deductions.

Proposed Amendment

         At the Annual Meeting,  the  stockholders are being asked to approve an
increase in the number of shares  reserved for issuance  under the Purchase Plan
from 775,000 shares to 900,000  shares.  This increase was approved by the Board
of Directors,  subject to stockholder  approval,  on December 4, 1998. Including
the  proposed  125,000  share  increase,  a total  of  197,000  shares  remained
available for grant under the plan on February 5, 1999.

Recommendation

         The Board of Directors has unanimously  approved the proposed amendment
to the Purchase Plan and recommends that stockholders vote FOR such amendment.

Description of Purchase Plan

         The essential  features of the Purchase Plan are outlined  below.  Such
outline is qualified in its entirety by the  provisions of the Purchase  Plan, a
copy of which has been filed by the Company  with the  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission, and is incorporated herein by reference. Copies of the Purchase Plan
are available upon written  request to the Company at 91 East Tasman Drive,  San
Jose, California 95134, Attn: Chief Financial Officer.

         Purpose

         The purpose of the  Purchase  Plan is to provide  employees  (including
officers) of the Company  with an  opportunity  to purchase  Common Stock of the
Company  through  payroll  deductions.  The Purchase Plan is intended to qualify
under Sections 421 and 423 of the Code as an "employee stock purchase plan."

Administration

         The  Purchase  Plan is  administered  by the  Board of  Directors  or a
Committee of the Board (the "Administrator").

         Eligibility

         Only employees employed by the Company or its subsidiaries on the first
day of an  offering  period  may  participate  in the  Purchase  Plan.  For this
purpose,  an "employee" is any person who is regularly  employed at least twenty
hours per week and at least five months per calendar  year by the Company or any
of its  subsidiaries.  No employee shall be granted an option under the Purchase
Plan if  immediately  after the grant of the option,  the employee (or any other
person  whose  stock would be  attributed  to the  employee  pursuant to Section
424(d) of the Code) would own five  percent  (5%) or more of the total  combined
voting  power or value of the stock of the  Company or any of its  subsidiaries.
Subject to these  eligibility  criteria,  the  Purchase  Plan  permits  eligible
employees to purchase Common Stock through payroll deductions subject to certain
limitations described below.

                                      -11-
<PAGE>

         Offering Period

         Each offering of Common Stock under the Purchase Plan  ("Offering")  is
for a period of six months ("Offering Period"), unless the participant withdraws
or terminates  employment  earlier.  The Administrator may change the timing and
duration of the Offering Periods without stockholder  approval if such change is
announced  at least  fifteen  (15)  days  prior to the  beginning  of the  first
Offering Period to be affected.  The initial  Offering Period under the Purchase
Plan began on  November 2, 1991.  To  participate  in the  Purchase  Plan,  each
eligible  employee must authorize  payroll  deductions  pursuant to the Purchase
Plan.  Such payroll  deductions may not exceed 10% of a  participant's  eligible
compensation.  Once an employee  becomes a participant in the Purchase Plan, the
employee will automatically participate in each successive Offering Period until
such time as the employee  withdraws  from the Purchase  Plan or the  employee's
employment  terminates.  Eligible employees may participate in only one Offering
at a time.

         Grant and Exercise of Option

         At  the  beginning  of  each  Offering  Period,   each  participant  is
automatically  granted  an option to  purchase  shares of the  Company's  Common
Stock.  The  option may be  exercised  at the end of an  Offering  Period to the
extent of the payroll deductions accumulated during such Offering Period. In the
event the option is not exercised, the option expires at the end of the Offering
Period or upon  termination of employment,  whichever is earlier.  The number of
shares  subject to the option  will not exceed a number  determined  by dividing
$12,500 by the fair  market  value of the  Common  Stock on the first day of the
Offering Period. Participants may not purchase shares having a fair market value
exceeding  $25,000  in any  calendar  year.  The  Company  may  make a pro  rata
reduction  in the number of shares  subject  to  options if the total  number of
shares which would  otherwise be subject to options  granted at the beginning of
an offering period exceeds the number of shares remaining available for issuance
under the Purchase Plan.  Unless an employee  withdraws his or her participation
in the  Purchase  Plan by giving  written  notice to the  Company  of his or her
election to withdraw all accumulated  payroll  deductions  prior to the end of a
purchase  period,  the  employee's  option for the  purchase  of shares  will be
exercised  automatically  at the end of the  purchase  period,  and the  maximum
number  of full  shares  subject  to  option  which  are  purchasable  with  the
accumulated  payroll  deductions  in his or her account will be purchased at the
applicable purchase price determined as provided below.

Purchase Price

         The purchase price per share at which shares are sold to  participating
employees  is 85% of the lower of the fair market  value per share of the Common
Stock on (i) the  first day of the  Offering  Period or (ii) the last day of the
Offering  Period.  The fair market  value of the Common Stock on a given date is
determined by reference to the last reported sales price on the National  Market
System.

         Payroll Deductions

         The purchase  price of the shares  acquired is  accumulated  by payroll
deductions over the six-month Offering Period. The deductions may not exceed 10%
of a participant's aggregate eligible compensation.  Eligible compensation shall
include all base straight  time gross  earnings,  payments for  overtime,  shift
premium, incentive compensation,  incentive payments,  bonuses,  commissions and
other  compensation.  A participant may reduce the rate of payroll deductions at
any time during the Offering Period.  Any participant may discontinue his or her
participation in the Purchase Plan at any time. The rate of participation may be
increased only for a new plan period.  Upon the withdrawal of a participant from
the Purchase Plan, the Company  returns to the participant all funds credited to
a participant's payroll deduction account, without interest.

                                      -12-
<PAGE>

         Termination of Employment

         Termination of a  participant's  employment  for any reason,  including
retirement  or  death,  or the  failure  of the  participant  to  remain  in the
continuous employ of the Company for in excess of 20 hours per week and 5 months
per year during the applicable  Offering  Period,  cancels his or her option and
his or her  participation in the Purchase Plan  immediately.  In such event, the
payroll deductions credited to the participant's account will be returned to him
or her or, in the case of death,  to the person or persons  entitled  thereto as
provided in the Purchase Plan.

         Capital Changes

         In the event any change is made in the Company's  capitalization in the
middle of an Offering  Period,  such as a stock split or stock  dividend,  which
results in an  increase  or  decrease  in the  number of shares of Common  Stock
outstanding  without  receipt  of  consideration  by  the  Company,  appropriate
adjustment  shall be made in the  purchase  price  and in the  number  of shares
subject to options under the Purchase Plan.

         Amendment and Termination of the Plan

         The Board of Directors  may at any time amend,  alter or terminate  the
Purchase Plan. No amendment may be made to the Purchase Plan without approval of
the  stockholders  of the Company if such amendment would increase the number of
shares reserved under the Purchase Plan, change the standards of eligibility for
participation in the Purchase Plan or materially  increase the benefits accruing
to  participants  in the  Purchase  Plan.  In the  event  the  Purchase  Plan is
terminated,  the Board may elect to terminate  all  outstanding  options  either
immediately  or upon  completion  of the purchase of shares on the next purchase
date, or may elect to permit  options to expire in  accordance  with their terms
(and participation to continue through such expiration dates).

         Federal Income Tax Information

         The Purchase  Plan,  and the right of  participants  to make  purchases
thereunder,  is intended to qualify under the provisions of Sections 421 and 423
of the Code. Under these provisions,  no income will be taxable to a participant
at the time of grant of the option or purchase of the shares.  Upon  disposition
of the shares,  the participant  will generally be subject to tax. If the shares
have been  held by the  participant  for more  than two years  after the date of
option grant and more than one year after the purchase  date of the shares,  the
lesser of (a) the excess of the fair  market  value of the shares at the time of
such disposition over the purchase price of the shares subject to the option, or
(b) 15% of the fair market  value of the shares on the first day of the offering
period  will be treated  as  ordinary  income,  and any  further  gain upon such
disposition  will be  treated  as  long-term  capital  gain.  If the  shares are
disposed of before the expiration of the holding periods  described  above,  the
excess of the fair  market  value of the  shares on the  exercise  date over the
option  price will be treated as ordinary  income,  and further  gain or loss on
such  disposition  will be  capital  gain or loss.  However,  if the  shares are
disposed of for less than the exercise price there is no ordinary income and the
participant  recognizes a capital loss  measured by the  difference  between the
exercise  price and the sales price.  Different  rules may apply with respect to
participants  subject to Section  16(b) of the Exchange  Act. The Company is not
entitled  to a  deduction  for amounts  taxable to a  participant  except to the
extent of ordinary  income taxable to a participant  upon  disposition of shares
prior to the expiration of the holding periods described above.

         The foregoing is only a summary of the federal income tax  consequences
of the Purchase plan to participants and the Company.  In addition,  the summary
does not discuss the tax consequences of a participant's death or the income tax
laws of any state or foreign country in which the participant may reside.

                                      -13-
<PAGE>

Plan Benefits

         The  Company  cannot  now  determine  the exact  number of shares to be
issued in the future under the Purchase  Plan to the  executive  officers  named
under "EXECUTIVE OFFICER  COMPENSATION  Summary Compensation Table," all current
executive officers as a group or all employees (including executive officers) as
a group. In the fiscal year ended October 31, 1998, an aggregate of 5,177 shares
of Common Stock of the Company were issued to all executive  officers as a group
and an aggregate of 99,390  shares of Common Stock of the Company were issued to
all employees (including executive officers) under the Purchase Plan.

Required Vote

         The affirmative vote of the majority of the Votes Cast will be required
under  Delaware  law to approve the  amendment to the  Purchase  Plan.  For this
purpose, the term "Votes Cast" is defined under Delaware law to be the shares of
the  Company's  Common Stock  present in person or  represented  by proxy at the
Annual Meeting and "entitled to vote on the subject matter." Votes that are cast
against  the  proposal  will be counted  for  purposes  of  determining  (i) the
presence or absence of a quorum for the  transaction  of  business  and (ii) the
total  number of Votes Cast with  respect  to the  proposal.  While  there is no
definitive  statutory  or  case  law  authority  in  Delaware  as to the  proper
treatment  of  abstentions  in the  counting of votes with respect to a proposal
such  as  the  amendments  of the  Purchase  Plan,  the  Company  believes  that
abstentions  should be counted for purposes of determining both (i) the presence
or absence of a quorum for the transaction of business and (ii) the total number
of Votes  Cast with  respect to the  proposal.  In the  absence  of  controlling
precedent to the  contrary,  the Company  intends to treat  abstentions  in this
manner. Accordingly, abstentions will have the same effect as a vote against the
proposal.  In a 1988 Delaware  case,  Berlin v. Emerald  Partners,  the Delaware
Supreme  Court held that,  while broker  nonvotes may be counted for purposes of
determining the presence or absence of a quorum for the transaction of business,
broker  nonvotes should not be counted for purposes of determining the number of
Votes  Cast with  respect  to the  particular  proposal  on which the broker has
expressly not voted. Accordingly,  broker nonvotes with respect to this proposal
will not be counted as Votes Cast.


                                 PROPOSAL NO. 4
              RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

         The Board of Directors has appointed Ernst & Young LLP as the Company's
independent auditors to audit the books, records and accounts of the Company for
the current  fiscal year ending  October 30,  1999.  Such  appointment  is being
presented  to  the   stockholders   for  ratification  at  the  Annual  Meeting.
Representatives of Ernst & Young LLP will be present at the Annual Meeting, will
have the  opportunity  to make a statement  if they desire to do so, and will be
available to respond to appropriate questions from stockholders.

         The Board of Directors  recommends  voting FOR the  ratification of its
appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as the Company's independent auditors.

                                      -14-
<PAGE>

                                   MANAGEMENT

<TABLE>
         The executive and other  officers of the Company,  and their ages as of
January 1, 1999, are as follows:

<CAPTION>
      Name                   Age                                     Position
- ------------------------ ------------  -------------------------------------------------------------

<S>                          <C>       <C>                                                
Robert L. Puette             56        President and Chief Executive Officer and Director
Thomas E. Brunton            51        Senior Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer
Robert M. Krueger            51        Senior Vice President, Product Development
Chusak Siripocanont          45        Senior Vice President, Operations
James A. Donnelly            46        Vice President, Domestic Service Provider, Sales and Service
David P. McLoughlin          39        Vice President, Human Resources and Facilities
Thomas H. Rappath            56        Vice President, Asia Pacific Sales and Service
Janine Roth                  43        Vice President, Business Development
Carol Sorrick                42        Vice President, Marketing
John D. VerMeulen            57        Vice President, International Sales and Service
</TABLE>


         Mr.  Puette was elected to the  Centigram  Board in September  1997, at
which time he became  President  and Chief  Executive  Officer  of the  Company.
Before joining  Centigram,  Mr. Puette served as President,  CEO and Chairman of
the Board at NetFRAME Systems, a high-availability computer server company, from
January 1995 to September  1997.  Prior to that,  Mr.  Puette was  President and
Chief Executive Officer of Puette  Consulting,  a marketing and sales consulting
firm,  from  November  1993 to December  1994.  Mr.  Puette held the position of
President of Apple USA from June 1990 to October  1993,  and was a Group General
Manager at the Hewlett-Packard  Company prior to that time. Mr. Puette is also a
director of Cisco Systems, Inc. and Quality Semiconductor Corporation.

         Mr.  Brunton  joined the Company in March 1991 as Controller and became
Vice President and Controller in July 1995, Treasurer in August 1997, and Senior
Vice President-Finance,  Chief Financial Officer in March 1998. Mr. Brunton also
serves as  director  of several  subsidiaries  of the  Company:  Centigram  Asia
Limited, Centigram Australasia Pty Limited, Centigram Communications (Barbados),
Inc.,  Centigram  Europe  B.V.,  and  Centigram  UK  Limited.  He  earlier  held
accounting  management  positions with 3Com  Corporation  and Sun  Microsystems,
Inc.,  and he was  employed  for eight years by Coopers & Lybrand LLP in various
auditing positions.

         Mr.  Krueger  joined the  Company  as Senior  Vice  President,  Product
Development in December 1997. Prior to joining the Company,  Mr. Krueger was the
Vice President and General Manager of the Network Products  Division at Advanced
Micro Devices,  Inc. from 1990 to November 1997.  From 1968 to 1990, Mr. Krueger
held various  management  positions in product  development at Digital Equipment
Corporation, Datapoint Corporation and Texas Instruments Incorporated.

         Mr. Siripocanont joined the Company as Vice President, Manufacturing in
October 1993 and became Senior Vice President, Operations in May 1998. From 1991
to  1993  he  was  Vice  President,  Manufacturing  of  E-Mu  Systems,  Inc.,  a
manufacturer  of digital  audio  systems  which became a subsidiary  of Creative
Technology,  Inc. in 1993.  From 1988 to 1991 he served as Director of Corporate
Quality and Manufacturing Management for Octel Communications Corporation.  From
1980 to 1988, he held various manufacturing management positions at IBM/Rolm.

                                      -15-
<PAGE>

         Mr. Donnelly joined the Company in May 1997 as Vice President, Domestic
Service Provider, Sales and Service, and is responsible for overseeing all North
American sales and service activities. From June 1980 to April 1997 Mr. Donnelly
held management  positions in operations,  sales and product management at AT&T.
Previous to joining  Centigram he was General Manager,  Business  Communications
Services.  He has also  held  engineering  positions  at  Westinghouse  Electric
Corporation,  and prior to that,  positions  in sales at IBM and finance at Ford
Motor Company.

         Mr.  McLoughlin  joined the Company in October 1998 as Vice  President,
Human  Resources  and  Facilities.  From June to October  1998, he was Director,
North American Human Resources for Micro Focus,  Inc. From September 1995 to May
1998, Mr. McLoughlin held several worldwide human resources management positions
with NetFRAME Systems and MICRON  Electronics,  Inc. From 1989 to September 1995
he held several human resource positions with Mervyn's, a retail sales company.

         Mr. Rappath joined the Company in November 1998 as Vice President, Asia
Pacific Sales and Service.  He was Vice President for the Asia Pacific sector at
Digital Microwave  Corporation from September 1995 to November 1998. Mr. Rappath
was President of the Rappath Group, a marketing and sales  consulting firm, from
January 1995 to September 1995. From September 1993 to January 1995, he was Vice
President,  World Wide Sales for  Interlink  Computer  Sciences Inc. He has also
held various management and sales positions with Aristacom International,  Inc.,
Rational Software Corporation, and the Hewlett-Packard Company.

         Ms. Roth joined the Company in April 1998 as Vice  President,  Business
Development.  Her major  responsibilities  include:  mergers  and  acquisitions,
alliance development,  assessment of alternative  technology  partnerships,  and
managing the strategic  business planning process.  From June 1995 to March 1998
she  served as Senior  Director  of  Strategic  Product  Planning  at Bell South
International  and  from  May  1989 to May  1995  she  held  various  management
positions at BellSouth.  Prior to BellSouth,  Ms. Roth held  positions at Touche
Ross and Company, Digital Equipment Corporation and AT&T Bell Laboratories.

         Ms.  Sorrick  joined  the  Company  in  May  1998  as  Vice  President,
Marketing.   Her   responsibilities   include  Product   Management,   Corporate
Communications,  Corporate Sales  Engineering and Worldwide Market  Development.
From August 1997 to April 1998 she was Vice President of Worldwide Marketing for
Unisys Corporation, Communications Market Sector Group. From 1979 to August 1997
she held various management and marketing positions with Pacific Bell, including
Vice President, Sales and Marketing and Vice President, Sales National Accounts.
Ms.  Sorrick also has been  Chairman of the Board of Patelco  Credit Union since
1993.

         Mr.  VerMeulen  joined the Company as a Sales Director in June 1989 and
became  Vice  President,  Sales,  Northern  Region in  November  1992,  and Vice
President, International Sales and Service in October 1994. From 1986 to 1989 he
was Vice President,  Sales and Marketing of ComDev,  Inc., a  telecommunications
equipment  manufacturer.  Earlier,  he served  in  various  sales and  marketing
positions, including Vice President, North Central Division, and Vice President,
National   Accounts   at   United   Technologies   Communications   Company,   a
telecommunications equipment manufacturer.

                                      -16-
<PAGE>

                              CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS

         The Company has entered into  indemnification  agreements  with each of
its directors and executive  officers.  Such  agreements  require the Company to
indemnify such individuals to the fullest extent permitted by law.



                                OTHER INFORMATION

         Compliance with Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

         Section  16(a) of the Exchange Act  requires  certain of the  Company's
executive  officers,  as well as its directors and persons who own more than ten
percent (10%) of a registered class of the Company's  equity  securities to file
reports of ownership and changes in ownership  with the  Securities and Exchange
Commission.

         Based solely on its review of the copies of such forms  received by the
Company, or written  representations from certain reporting persons, the Company
believes that during the Last Fiscal Year all  executive  officers and directors
complied with their filing  requirements  under Section 16(a) for all reportable
transactions during the year.

                                      -17-
<PAGE>

         SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

<TABLE>
         The  following  table  sets  forth as of  January  1, 1999  information
relating to the  beneficial  ownership  of the  Company's  Common  Stock by each
person known by the Company to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent
(5%) of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, by each director and nominee for
director,  by each of the executive  officers named in the Summary  Compensation
Table  currently  employed by the Company,  and by all  directors  and executive
officers as a group.  As of January 1, 1999,  6,583,598  shares of the Company's
Common Stock were outstanding.  Unless otherwise indicated, all persons named as
beneficial  owners of Common  Stock have sole voting  power and sole  investment
power with respect to the shares indicated as beneficially owned.

<CAPTION>
                                                                              No. of              Approximate
                                 Name                                      Shares Owned        Percentage Owned
- -------------------------------------------------------------------        ------------        ----------------
<S>                                                                          <C>                     <C>  
Kopp Investment Advisors (1).......................................          1,153,299               17.5%
    7701 France Avenue, Suite 500
    Edina MN 55435
Fidelity Management & Research Company (2)..........................           816,875               12.4%
    82 Devonshire Street
     Boston, MA  02109
Dimensional Fund Advisers, Inc. (3)................................            409,900                6.2%
  1099 Ocean Avenue
     11th Floor
     Santa Monica, CA 90401
Robert L. Puette (4)...............................................                  0                 *
Thomas E. Brunton (4) (5)..........................................             46,079                 *
Robert M. Krueger (4)..............................................              6,250                 *
Chusak Siripocanont (4)............................................             42,601                 *
Carol Sorrick (4)..................................................                  0                 *
James H. Boyle (4) ................................................             21,000                 *
Doug Chance (4)....................................................              6,444                 *
James F. Gibbons (4)...............................................             42,708                 *
Edward R. Kozel (4)................................................                  0                 *
David S. Lee (4)...................................................             24,791                 *
Dean O. Morton (4) (6).............................................             30,499                 *
All directors and executive officers as a group
    (11 persons) (4)...............................................            220,372                3.3%
<FN>
- -------------------------------

*    Less than one percent (1%).

(1)  Based on  information  provided by Kopp  Investment  Advisors on January 5,
     1999.

(2)  Based on information provided by Fidelity Investments on January 5, 1999.

(3)  Based on information provided by Dimensional Fund Advisers, Inc. and Nasdaq
     on January 5, 1999.

(4)  Includes  shares   issuable  upon  exercise  of  stock  options   presently
     exercisable within 60 days of January 1, 1999 as follows: Mr. Puette, none;
     Mr. Brunton,  32,532 shares; Mr. Krueger,  6,250 shares; Mr.  Siripocanont,
     42,601 shares;  Ms. Sorrick,  none; Mr. Boyle,  20,000;  Mr. Chance,  4,444
     shares;  Dr.  Gibbons,  22,708 shares;  Mr. Kozel,  none;  Mr. Lee,  24,791
     shares; Mr. Morton, 27,499 shares; and all directors and executive officers
     as a group, 180,825 shares.

(5)  Includes  100  shares  held by Mr.  Brunton's  son as to which Mr.  Brunton
     disclaims beneficial ownership.

(6)  Includes  3,000  shares  issued in the name of the Dean O. and Laura Morton
     Trust UTA DTD 9/20/78.
</FN>
</TABLE>

                                      -18-
<PAGE>

                         EXECUTIVE OFFICER COMPENSATION

<TABLE>
Summary Compensation Table

         The following table shows,  as to each Chief  Executive  Officer during
the Last Fiscal Year, each of the four other most highly  compensated  executive
officers  whose  salary  plus  bonus  exceeded  $100,000  and up to  two  former
executive  officers  who would  have been  included  if they had been  executive
officers at the end of the Last Fiscal Year, information concerning compensation
paid for services to the Company in all  capacities  during the Last Fiscal Year
as well as the total compensation paid to each such individual for the Company's
previous two fiscal years (if such person was the Chief Executive  Officer or an
executive officer, as the case may be, during any part of the Last Fiscal Year).

<CAPTION>
                                                               Annual Compensation         Long Term
                                                           -----------------------------  Compensation              
                                                                         Other Annual     ------------     All Other
  Name and Principal Position     Year       Salary        Bonus (1)    Compensation (2)  Options (3)    Compensation
  ---------------------------     ----       ------        ---------    ----------------  ----------     ------------
<S>                               <C>         <C>           <C>             <C>              <C>        <C>
Robert L. Puette                  1998        $340,018      $170,000        $  1,475             --     $ 12,179 (7)
   President and Chief            1997          31,386           --              --          350,000       1,437 (8)
   Executive Officer (4)

Thomas E. Brunton                 1998         165,984        54,000             340          90,000       7,564 (7)
   Senior Vice President and      1997         150,048        25,000             275          51,098       6,685 (8)
   Chief Financial Officer        1996         137,312        25,000             215             --        5,604 (9)

Robert M. Krueger                 1998         182,319       130,000             645         200,000       7,166 (7)
   Senior Vice President,
   Product Development (5)

Chusak Siripocanont               1998         176,946        34,000             495          60,000       4,027 (7)
   Senior Vice President,         1997         150,037        25,000             670          50,698       1,023 (8)
   Operations                     1996         142,078        20,000             415          15,000         473 (9)

Carol Sorrick                     1998          87,506        39,000              --         100,000       3,207 (7)
   Vice President, Marketing (6)

Dennis P. Wolf
   Senior Vice President and      1998          88,569        50,003             --              --        4,177 (7)
   Chief Financial Officer (10)   1997         145,387        72,800           1,500         120,000       5,565 (8)

<FN>
- -------------------------------

(1)  Bonus  amounts are  reported  for the fiscal year in which  earned  without
     regard to when paid.

(2)  The amounts  included in this column  represent  amounts  reimbursed by the
     Company for tax preparation fees.

(3)  Represents  number of shares granted under stock  options.  The Company did
     not grant stock  appreciation  rights or restricted  stock awards in fiscal
     1998. Included in these grants in fiscal year 1998 were shares granted as a
     result of the Company's June 1998 stock option  repricing.  As part of this
     stock option repricing, shares previously granted under the Company's stock
     plans were canceled and new grants were issued with the vesting  period set
     as of the date of the issuance of the new option grant. Stock option grants
     issued in fiscal 1998 as part of this  repricing  program  were as follows:
     Mr.  Brunton,  50,000 shares;  Mr.  Siripocanont,  35,000  shares;  and Ms.
     Sorrick, 50,000 shares.

(4)  Mr. Puette became  President and Chief Executive  Officer of the Company in
     September 1997.

(5)  Mr. Krueger became Senior Vice President,  Product  Development in December
     1997.

(6)  Ms. Sorrick became Vice President, Marketing in May 1998.

(7)  The amounts disclosed in the "All Other Compensation" column include:

     (a)  Payments  by the  Company  in 1998 of  premiums  for  group  term life
          insurance  on  behalf  of each of Mr.  Puette,  $5,679;  Mr.  Brunton,
          $1,614; Mr. Krueger,  $1,866; Mr. Siripocanont,  $927; Mr. Wolf, $477;
          and Ms. Sorrick, $307. This benefit is extended to all employees.

     (b)  Payment  by the  Company in 1998 of car  allowances  as  follows:  Mr.
          Puette,  $6,000;  Mr.  Brunton,   $4,800;  Mr.  Krueger,  $4,800;  Mr.
          Siripocanont, $2,600; Mr. Wolf, $3,200; and Ms. Sorrick, $2,400.

     (c)  Payment by the Company of expenses for annual physical examinations in
          the amount as follows: Mr. Brunton, $650, Mr. Siripocanont, $632.

                                      -19-
<PAGE>
     (d)  Payment by the Company in 1998 for 401(k)  match in the amount of $500
          each for Mr. Puette, Mr. Brunton, Mr. Krueger,  Mr. Siripocanont,  Mr.
          Wolf, and Ms. Sorrick. This benefit is extended to all employees.

(8)  The amounts disclosed in the "All Other Compensation" column include:

     (a)  Payments  by the  Company  in 1997 of  premiums  for  group  term life
          insurance on behalf of each of: Mr. Puette, $437; Mr. Brunton, $1,385;
          Mr.  Siripocanont,  $523; and Mr. Wolf, $756. This benefit is extended
          to all employees.

     (b)  Payment  by the  Company in 1997 of car  allowances  as  follows:  Mr.
          Puette, $500; Mr. Brunton, $4,800; and Mr. Wolf, $4,300.

     (c)  Payment by the Company in 1997 for 401(k)  match in the amount of $500
          each for Mr. Puette, Mr. Brunton, Mr. Siripocanont, and Mr. Wolf. This
          benefit is extended to all employees.

(9)  The amounts disclosed in the "All Other Compensation" column include:

     (a)  Payments  by the  Company  in 1996 of  premiums  for  group  term life
          insurance  on  behalf  of  each  of  Mr.   Brunton,   $804;   and  Mr.
          Siripocanont, $473. This benefit is extended to all employees.

     (b)  Payment  by the  Company in 1996 of car  allowances  as  follows:  Mr.
          Brunton, $4,800

(10) Mr. Wolf no longer serves as an executive officer of the Company.  Included
     in 1998 Bonus  Annual  Compensation  for Mr. Wolf was $50,003 in  severance
     compensation.
</FN>
</TABLE>
Stock Option Grants and Exercises

         The  following  tables set forth  information  with  respect to options
granted to the named executive  officers and the options exercised by such named
executive officers during the Last Fiscal Year.

                     STOCK OPTION GRANTS IN FISCAL YEAR 1998

<TABLE>
         The  Option  Grant  Table  sets  forth  hypothetical  gains or  "option
spreads"  for the options at the end of their  respective  five-year  terms,  as
calculated  in  accordance  with  the  rules  of  the  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission.  Each gain is based on an  arbitrarily  assumed  annualized  rate of
compound  appreciation  of the market price at the date of grant of five percent
(5%) and ten  percent  (10%) from the date the option was  granted to the end of
the option term.  Actual gains, if any, on option exercises are dependent on the
future performance of the Company's Common Stock and overall market conditions.

<CAPTION>
                                                  Individual Grants                           Potential Realizable
                               -------------------------------------------------------       Value of Assumed Annual
                                 Number of     Percent of                                      Rates of Stock Price  
                                Securities   Total Options                                       Appreciation for    
                                Underlying    Granted to    Exercise or                              Option Term       
                                  Options     Employees in   Base Price     Expiration      ------------------------
             Name               Granted (1)   Fiscal Year    ($/share)        Date            5%             10%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                  <C>           <C>          <C>          <C>  <C>         <C>            <C>    
Robert L. Puette............             --           --           --             --               --             --

Thomas E. Brunton...........         40,000        2.70%        13.00        5/19/08          355,564        874,189
                                     50,000        3.37%        10.13        6/19/08          318,535        807,230

Robert M. Krueger...........        150,000       10.11%        16.13        12/5/07        1,734,181      4,194,543
                                     50,000        3.37%        11.00        8/19/08          345,892        876,558

Chusak Siripocanont.........         25,000        1.69%        13.00        5/19/08          222,227        546,368
                                     35,000        2.36%        10.13        6/19/08          222,975        565,061

Carol Sorrick...............         50,000        3.37%        13.00        5/19/08          444,454      1,092,736
                                     50,000        3.37%        10.13        6/19/08          318,535        807,230
<FN>
(1)  Represents  number of shares granted under stock  options.  The Company did
     not grant stock  appreciation  rights or restricted  stock awards in fiscal
     1998. Included in these grants in fiscal year 1998 were shares granted as a
     result of the Company's June 1998 stock option  repricing.  As part of this
     stock option repricing, shares previously granted under the Company's stock
     plans were canceled and new grants were issued with the vesting  period set
     as of the date of the issuance of the new option grant. Stock option grants
     issued in fiscal 1998 as part of this  repricing  program  were as follows:
     Mr.  Brunton,  50,000 shares;  Mr.  Siripocanont,  35,000  shares;  and Ms.
     Sorrick, 50,000 shares.
</FN>
</TABLE>

                                      -20-
<PAGE>

       AGGREGATE OPTION EXERCISES IN FISCAL YEAR 1998 AND YEAR-END VALUES

<TABLE>
         The following  table sets forth  information  with respect to the named
executive   officers   concerning  the  exercise  of  options  during  1997  and
unexercised options held as of October 31, 1998.

<CAPTION>
                                                                    Total Number of           Value of Unexercised
                                       Shares                  Unexercised Options Held     In-the-Money Option Held
                                      Acquired                    at Fiscal Year End          at Fiscal Year End (1)
                                         on          Value    ---------------------------   ---------------------------
               Name                   Exercise     Realized   Exercisable   Unexercisable   Exercisable   Unexercisable
               ----                   --------     --------   -----------   -------------   -----------   -------------
<S>                                       <C>         <C>        <C>           <C>                <C>           <C>
Robert L. Puette..............             --          --            --        350,000             --            --
Thomas E. Brunton.............             --          --        22,614         56,084             --            --
Robert M. Krueger.............             --          --            --        200,000             --            --
Chusak Siripocanont...........             --          --        34,536         41,162             --            --
Carol Sorrick.................             --          --            --         50,000             --            --
</TABLE>

Employment   Contracts,   Termination   of  Employment   and   Change-in-Control
Arrangements

         The Board of Directors on October 24, 1997  approved  change-in-control
agreements with all of the Company's outside  directors and executive  officers,
and certain key  employees  of the  Company.  The  change-in-control  agreements
provide  that in the event of a merger,  consolidation,  tender  offer,  sale of
assets or similar event resulting in  stockholders  of Centigram  receiving less
than  fifty  percent  (50%) of the  outstanding  voting  stock of the  surviving
corporation  (a "Change in Control"),  the vesting of such person's  outstanding
options  will be  accelerated  by two (2) years  from the date of the  Change in
Control, in the case of executive officers and key employees, and in the case of
outside  directors,  the options  shall  become  fully  vested.  In the event an
executive officer or key employee is involuntarily terminated within twelve (12)
months of a Change in Control,  all of such  person's  outstanding  options will
become  fully  vested,  and such person will  receive as  severance  pay six (6)
months of his or her base salary, in the case of a key employee,  or twelve (12)
months of his or her base salary and bonus, in the case of an executive officer.
Involuntary   terminations   for   willful   misconduct   do  not   trigger  the
change-in-control provisions.

         In September 1997, Mr. Puette was hired as the Company's  President and
Chief Executive Officer pursuant to an offer letter dated September 24, 1997. In
October 1997, the Company  entered into an employment  agreement with Mr. Puette
which  provides  that he will receive an annual base salary of $340,000 and will
participate in the Company's  Executive Bonus Program.  Mr. Puette also received
an  option to  purchase  350,000  shares  of the  Company's  Common  Stock.  The
agreement is terminable at will by either party,  but if it is terminated by the
Company for other than cause,  Mr. Puette will receive salary and other benefits
for one year  after  termination.  In the  event of a Change in  Control  of the
Company,  Mr. Puette shall receive severance equal to 150% of his base and bonus
compensation  and other  benefits,  including the  acceleration of stock options
that become exercisable within two years following such Change In Control.

                          COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT

         The Compensation Committee consists of Dean Morton, David Lee and James
Gibbons.  Each of such  directors  at the time of  serving  on the  Compensation
Committee  was  an  independent  director  of  the  Company.  The  Committee  is
responsible for administering the Company's  compensation and benefits programs.
The Committee sets executive salary levels,  establishes the Company's executive
bonus plan and determines  target  bonuses  thereunder,  and  determines  option
grants under the Company's stock option programs.

         The  Company's  executive  compensation  program  has been  designed to
ensure that the compensation  provided to executive  officers is closely aligned
with the  Company's  financial  performance  and,  ultimately,  the  creation of
stockholder  value,  and to ensure  that the  Company can attract and retain key
executives critical to the Company's long-term success.

                                      -21-
<PAGE>

         The  Committee  establishes  the  salary  of  each  executive  officer,
including  the Chief  Executive  Officer,  by  considering  (i) the  salaries of
executive  officers in similar  positions with comparably sized companies in the
Company's and related  industries,  based upon survey data obtained from various
sources, (ii) the experience and contribution levels of the individual executive
officers,  (iii) the Company's  financial  performance during the past year, and
(iv) in the case of executive  officers other than the Chief Executive  Officer,
the recommendations of the Chief Executive Officer.

         Under the  Company's  executive  bonus plan for the Last  Fiscal  Year,
executive  officers  were  eligible  to receive  bonuses  based  primarily  upon
achievement  by  the  Company  of  operating   profit   performance   objectives
established by the Compensation Committee at the commencement of the Last Fiscal
Year.  Executive  officers,  including the Chief  Executive  Officer,  were also
eligible to receive  additional bonuses at the discretion of the Committee based
upon individual performance.  For financial performance below a specified level,
executive  officers were not eligible for any bonus except at the  discretion of
the Committee,  and for performance in excess of plan,  executives were eligible
for the  full  performance-based  bonus  plus  such  additional  bonuses  as the
Committee might determine in its discretion.  Based upon the Company's financial
performance in the Last Fiscal Year, the Committee  awarded bonuses to executive
officers,  consisting of discretionary  bonuses awarded for performance relative
to personal  objectives and hire-on bonuses,  in the amount of up to 65% of base
salary. The bonus program for the Last Fiscal Year provided for a portion of the
full-year  performance  bonus to be paid at mid-year,  based upon achievement of
targeted operating income performance for the first half of the year.

         For Fiscal 1999, the executive  bonus program  provides for the payment
of bonuses based on three independent performance criterion:  achievement by the
Company of revenue  objectives  established by the Committee at the commencement
of the fiscal year;  achievement by the Company of profit objectives established
by the Committee at the commencement of the fiscal year; and achievement by each
executive of  individual/functional  objectives established by the executive and
Chief Executive  Officer at the  commencement of the fiscal year (in the case of
the Chief Executive  Officer as established by the Chief  Executive  Officer and
the Committee at the  commencement of the fiscal year). In the event the Company
achieves  revenue or profit  performance  less than a  specified  level,  or the
executive  achieves  individual/functional  objectives  at less than a specified
level,  no  bonuses  will  be paid  out.  If the  Company  meets  its  financial
performance   goals,  and  if  the  executive   officers  meet  their  specified
individual/functional  objectives,  the Chief Executive Officer is entitled to a
performance-based  bonus of 55% of base salary and other executive  officers are
entitled  to a  performance-based  bonus  of  15% to 45%  of  base  pay.  Higher
performance-based  bonuses  can be earned for  revenue,  profit  and  individual
objectives achieved above target levels.

         The  Committee  also  grants  stock  options to  executive  officers to
provide long-term  incentive to the executive officers aligned with the creation
of increased  stockholder  value over time.  The Committee  grants options based
upon a number of factors,  including  each such officer's  responsibilities  and
position in the Company,  any changes in the executive officer's  responsibility
and  position,  and the  executive  officer's  existing  equity  interest in the
Company in the form of vested and unvested  options.  All options are granted at
the current  market  price of the  Company's  Common Stock on the date of grant.
During the Last  Fiscal  Year,  the  Committee  granted  options to  purchase an
aggregate  of  450,000  shares of Common  Stock to four  executive  officers  at
exercise prices ranging from $10.13 to $16.13 per share. No options were granted
during the fiscal year to the chief executive officer.  Included in these shares
granted to executive officers were 135,000 shares granted in fiscal year 1998 as
part  of the  Company's  June  1998  stock  option  repricing.  As  part of this
repricing, 404,000 shares previously granted were canceled and option agreements
with respect to 500,000 shares were amended.

                                      -22-
<PAGE>

         The  principal  purpose  of the  Company's  1997 Plan is to  provide an
equity  incentive to employees to remain in the employment of the Company and to
work  diligently in its best interests.  The Board of Directors  determined that
this purpose would not be achieved for employees holding options  exercisable at
prices  above the  market  price of the  Company's  Common  Stock,  and  further
determined  that it was critical to the best interests of the Company and to its
stockholders  that the Company retain the services of these employees.  As such,
the Board of Directors authorized the repricing of certain stock options in 1997
and 1998. In 1997 the Board of Directors  offered to all  employees,  other than
individuals  currently  serving  on the  Board of  Directors,  with  outstanding
options to purchase the Common Stock of the Company the  opportunity to exchange
such  options  on a 5 for 4 share  exchange  ratio for new  nonstatutory  and/or
incentive  stock  options at a price per share equal to the closing price of the
Company's  Common Stock on the Nasdaq  National Market System on April 11, 1997,
with no change in the stock  option  vesting  periods  and a six month  blackout
period on the  repriced  stock  options.  In June  1998 the  Board of  Directors
offered to all employees,  including  individuals currently serving on the Board
of  Directors,  with  outstanding  options to purchase  the Common  Stock of the
Company the  opportunity  to  exchange  such  options or to amend  their  option
agreements,  which would  result in an equal number of new  nonstatutory  and/or
incentive  stock  options or an amended  option  agreement  at a price per share
equal to the closing  price of the  Company's  Common  Stock on National  Market
System on June 19, 1998,  with a restart of the vesting  periods.  The following
table provides information with respect to these repricings.

<TABLE>
                         Ten-Year Option/SAR Repricings
                                                         
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                            Length of
                                               Number of                                                     Original
                                               Securities    Market Price                                  Option Term
                                               Underlying    of Stock at   Exercise Price      New        Remaining at
                                                Options        Time of       at Time of      Exercise        Date of
           Name                    Date         Repriced      Repricing      Repricing        Price         Repricing
           ----                    ----         --------      ---------      ---------        -----         ---------
<S>                               <C>  <C>       <C>             <C>             <C>            <C>        <C>       
Robert L. Puette..........        6/19/98        350,000         $10.13          $16.94         $10.13     9.28 years
Thomas E. Brunton.........        6/19/98         10,000          10.13           17.75          10.13     9.35 years
                                  6/19/98         21,600          10.13           13.00          10.13     9.92 years
                                  6/19/98         18,400          10.13           13.00          10.13     9.92 years
                                   6/2/97          1,999          11.63           13.50          10.38     9.52 years
                                   6/2/97          2,400          11.63           35.50          10.38     1.39 years
                                   6/2/97          2,000          11.63           19.00          10.38     2.42 years
                                   6/2/97          3,200          11.63           12.63          10.38     2.65 years
                                   6/2/97          7,999          11.63           13.75          10.38     3.15 years
                                   6/2/97          6,000          11.63           13.50          10.38     9.52 years
Robert M. Krueger                 6/19/98        150,000          10.13           16.13          10.13     9.46 years
Chusak Siripocanont               6/19/98         10,000          10.13           17.75          10.13     9.35 years
                                  6/19/98         19,350          10.13           13.00          10.13     9.92 years
                                  6/19/98          5,650          10.13           13.00          10.13     9.92 years
Carol Sorrick                     6/19/98         35,860          10.13           13.00          10.13     9.92 years
                                  6/19/98         14,140          10.13           13.00          10.13     9.92 years
</TABLE>

                                      -23-
<PAGE>

         No  member  of  the  Compensation  Committee  is a  former  or  current
executive officer or employee of the Company.

                             Compensation Committee

                             James F. Gibbons
                             David S. Lee
                             Dean O. Morton


                                PERFORMANCE GRAPH


         Set forth below is a line graph comparing the annual  percentage change
in the cumulative total return among Centigram Communications  Corporation,  the
S&P 500 Index and the H&Q Technology Index, from October 2, 1993 through October
31, 1998, the end of the last fiscal year.

                                [GRAPH OMITTED]

[The following  descriptive  data is supplied in accordance  with Rule 304(d) of
Regulation S-T)


               10/2/93    10/1/94   10/28/95    11/2/96    11/1/97   10/31/98
              --------   --------   --------   --------   --------   --------

Centigram      $100      $ 50.77    $ 65.38    $ 40.38    $ 51.15    $ 20.38
H&Q Tech.      $100      $114.13    $202.91    $216.52    $292.53    $314.96
S&P 500        $100      $103.69    $134.05    $166.35    $219.77    $268.10

                                      -24-
<PAGE>

           COMPENSATION COMMITTEE INTERLOCKS AND INSIDER PARTICIPATION

         No member of the Compensation  Committee has a relationship  that would
constitute an interlocking  relationship with executive officers or directors of
another entity.


                                  OTHER MATTERS

         The Board of Directors  does not intend to bring before the meeting any
matters other than those set forth herein, and has no present knowledge that any
other matters will or may be brought before the meeting by others.  If, however,
any other matters  properly come before the meeting,  it is the intention of the
persons  named in the enclosed  form of proxy to vote the proxies in  accordance
with their judgment.

Dated:  February 19, 1999


                                 BY ORDER OF THE
                                 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

                                      -25-



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