SELAS CORP OF AMERICA
DEF 14A, 1997-03-18
INDUSTRIAL PROCESS FURNACES & OVENS
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<PAGE>

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


                            SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
                Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the
                Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. )

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Check the appropriate box:

/ / Preliminary Proxy Statement
/ / Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by
    Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
/X/ Definitive Proxy Statement
/ / Definitive Additional Materials
/ / Soliciting Material Pursuant to 240.14a-11(c) or 240.14a-12


                          Selas Corporation of America
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                (Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)


 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

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 <PAGE>

                                     LOGO 

                         SELAS CORPORATION OF AMERICA 
                              2034 LIMEKILN PIKE 
                         DRESHER, PENNSYLVANIA 19025 

                                                                March 18, 1997 

                   NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS 
                          TO BE HELD APRIL 22, 1997 

   The Annual Meeting of Shareholders of Selas Corporation of America (the 
"Corporation") will be held at the Holiday Inn, 432 Pennsylvania Avenue, Fort 
Washington, Pennsylvania 19034 on Tuesday, April 22, 1997 at 2:00 p.m. for 
the following purposes: 

       (1) Election of directors; 

       (2) Ratification of the appointment of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP as the 
   Corporation's auditors for the year ending December 31, 1997; and 

       (3) Transaction of such other business as may properly come before the 
   meeting. 

   The Board of Directors has fixed the close of business on March 10, 1997 
as the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to notice 
of and to vote at the meeting. 

   All shareholders are cordially invited to attend the meeting, but whether 
or not you expect to attend the meeting in person, please mark, sign and date 
the enclosed proxy and return it promptly in order that your shares may be 
voted. If you attend the meeting, you may revoke your proxy and vote in 
person. 

                               PROXY STATEMENT 


   The enclosed proxy is solicited by the Board of Directors of the 
Corporation. The proxy is revocable at any time prior to its use by delivery 
of a subsequently executed proxy or written notice of revocation to the 
Secretary of the Corporation. The Board of Directors has fixed the close of 
business on March 10, 1997 as the record date for determination of the 
shareholders entitled to vote at the annual meeting. As of March 10, 1997, 
there were 3,475,050 Common Shares outstanding, each of which is entitled to 
one vote on all matters to be presented at the meeting. This proxy statement 
and the enclosed proxy are being sent to shareholders on or about March 18, 
1997. The annual report of the Corporation, including consolidated financial 
statements, for the year ended December 31, 1996, on which no action will be 
requested at the annual meeting, is included herewith. It is not to be 
regarded as proxy solicitation material. 

                                        1
<PAGE>

                            ELECTION OF DIRECTORS 

   The Board intends to cause Messrs. Frederick L. Bissinger and Roy C. 
Carriker, the two directors whose terms expire at the 1997 Annual Meeting, to 
be nominated for re-election at the 1997 Annual Meeting to serve until the 
Annual Meeting in 2000 and until their respective successors have been duly 
elected and have qualified. If either of the nominees should be unavailable 
on April 22, 1997, the persons named in the proxy may vote the proxies for 
such other person as they may choose, unless the Board of Directors reduces 
the number of directors to be elected. 

   Assuming a quorum is present, the two nominees receiving the highest 
number of votes cast at the annual meeting will be elected directors. For 
such purposes, the withholding of authority to vote or the specific direction 
not to cast a vote, such as a broker non-vote, will not constitute the 
casting of a vote in the election of directors. 

   The following table sets forth certain information concerning the nominees 
and the persons whose terms as directors will continue after the Annual 
Meeting, including their ages and principal occupations during the past five 
years: 

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                              Director      Term 
                         Name, Age and Occupation                              Since       Expires 
                         ------------------------                             --------     ------- 
<S>                                                                          <C>          <C>
John H. Austin, Jr. (68), Retired President and Chief Operating Officer of      1991        1999 
  Philadelphia Electric Company (now known as PECO Energy). Director of 
  Philadelphia Suburban Corporation and Philadelphia Suburban Water Co. Mr. 
  Austin also served as a director of the Corporation from 1972 to 1987.
 
Frederick L. Bissinger (86), Retired Vice Chairman of Allied Chemical           1974        1997
   Corporation (now known as Allied-Signal Corporation). 

Roy C. Carriker (59), President and Chief Operating Officer of TFX Aerospace,   1991        1997 
  a Teleflex Incorporated Group. Director of Laser Technology, Inc. 

Francis J. Dunleavy (82), Retired Vice Chairman of ITT Corporation. Director    1988        1998 
  of Bird Inc. 

Mark S. Gorder (50), Vice President of the Corporation, President and Chief     1996        1998 
  Executive Officer of Resistance Technology, Inc., a subsidiary of the
  Corporation since 1993. 

Stephen F. Ryan (61), President and Chief Executive Officer of the              1989        1998
   Corporation since May 1988.
 
Ralph R. Whitney, Jr. (62), President of Hammond, Kennedy, Whitney & Co.,       1986        1999 
   Inc., a private capital firm. Director of Adage, Inc., Baldwin  
   Technologies, Inc., Excel Industries, Inc., IFR Systems, Inc. and Control
   Devices, Inc. 
</TABLE>

                                        2
<PAGE>

                   RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF AUDITORS 

   Subject to shareholder ratification, on the recommendation of the Audit 
Committee, the Board of Directors has appointed KPMG Peat Marwick LLP as the 
Corporation's auditors for 1997. KPMG Peat Marwick LLP or predecessors have 
served as the Corporation's auditors for many years. The persons named in the 
accompanying proxy will vote to ratify the appointment of KPMG Peat Marwick 
LLP as the Corporation's auditors for 1997 unless contrary instructions are 
received. If a majority of the votes cast on this matter are not cast in 
favor of ratification of this appointment, other auditors will be considered 
and appointed by the Board of Directors. Abstentions, or the specific 
direction not to cast a vote, such as a broker non-vote, will not constitute 
the casting of a vote concerning the ratification of such appointment. A 
representative of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP is expected to be present at the 
annual meeting of shareholders to make a statement if desired and to be 
available to respond to appropriate questions. 

                            ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 

SHARE OWNERSHIP BY CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS, DIRECTORS AND CERTAIN OFFICERS 

   The following table sets forth certain information as of December 31, 1996 
concerning beneficial ownership of the Corporation's Common Shares by the 
only persons or groups of persons shown by Securities and Exchange Commission 
records or the Corporation's records to own beneficially more than 5% of the 
Corporation's Common Shares and information as of March 1, 1997 concerning 
such beneficial ownership by all directors and nominees, by each of the 
executive officers named in the Summary Compensation Table below and by all 
directors and executive officers as a group: 

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                      Number of      Percent 
                               Name                                   Shares(1)      of Class 
                               ----                                   ----------     -------- 
<S>                                                                  <C>             <C>
Dimensional Fund Advisors, Inc.  ................................      238,200(2)      6.9% 
 1299 Ocean Avenue, 11th Floor 
 Santa Monica, CA 90401 
John H. Austin, Jr., Director  ..................................        2,000         * 
Frederick L. Bissinger, Director  ...............................        6,000         * 
Roy C. Carriker, Director  ......................................        1,000         * 
Francis J. Dunleavy, Director  ..................................        1,050(3)      * 
Mark S. Gorder, Director and Vice President(4)  .................      201,300(5)      5.8% 
Stephen F. Ryan, Director, President and Chief Executive Officer        35,500(6)      1.0% 
Ralph R. Whitney, Jr., Director  ................................       20,000         * 
Christian Bailliart, Vice President  ............................        9,200(7)      * 
Frank J. Boyle, Vice President, Sales and Engineering  ..........       14,200(8)      * 
Robert W. Ross, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer  .....       18,300(9)      * 
All Directors and Executive Officers as a Group (11 persons)  ...      349,750(10)     9.7% 
</TABLE>

- ------ 
* Less than 1%. 

 (1) Unless otherwise indicated, each person has sole voting and investment 
     power with respect to all such shares. 

                                        3
<PAGE>

 (2) The shares indicated are owned by advisory clients of Dimensional Fund 
     Advisors, Inc. ("DFA"), a registered investment advisor. DFA has 
     reported sole voting power with respect to 177,100 shares and sole 
     investment power with respect to 238,200 shares. 

 (3) Includes 300 shares owned by Mr. Dunleavy's wife. 

 (4) Mr. Gorder, whose business address is 1260 Red Fox Road, Arden Hills, 
     Minnesota 55112, is also President and Chief Executive Officer of 
     Resistance Technology, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the 
     Corporation. 

 (5) Includes 18,200 shares which Mr. Gorder has the right to acquire within 
     60 days through the exercise of stock options. 

 (6) Includes 29,500 shares which Mr. Ryan has the right to acquire within 60 
     days through the exercise of stock options. 

 (7) Includes 9,200 shares which Mr. Bailliart has the right to acquire 
     within 60 days through the exercise of stock options. 

 (8) Includes 14,200 shares which Mr. Boyle has the right to acquire within 
     60 days through the exercise of stock options. 

 (9) Includes 18,100 shares which Mr. Ross has the right to acquire within 60 
     days through the exercise of stock options. 

(10) Includes 105,725 shares which executive officers have the right to 
     acquire within 60 days through the exercise of stock options. 

SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE 

   The following table sets forth certain information concerning compensation 
paid or accrued by the Corporation and its subsidiaries to the Corporation's 
Chief Executive Officer and its next four most highly compensated executive 
officers (the "Named Officers"), for the years indicated. 

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                      Long-Term
                                         Annual Compensation     Compensation Awards        
                                       ----------------------    -------------------      All Other
Name and Principal Position     Year    Salary($)    Bonus($)        Options(#)        Compensation($) 
- ---------------------------     ----    ---------    --------        ----------        --------------- 
<S>                            <C>     <C>           <C>         <C>                   <C>
Stephen F. Ryan ............    1996     210,000     105,000               --              2,375(1) 
President and Chief             1995     210,000      25,000           10,000              2,310(1) 
 Executive Officer              1994     200,000      78,160               --              2,310(1) 

Mark S. Gorder  ............    1996     180,562      97,230               --              4,750(1) 
Vice President of the           1995     173,429      70,282           10,000              4,620(1) 
 Corporation and                1994     166,987      68,662               --              4,620(1) 
 President of Resistance 
 Technology, Inc. 

Christian Bailliart(2)  ....    1996     140,625      30,000               --              6,560(3) 
Vice President                  1995     144,578      15,000            6,000              6,107(3) 
 of the Corporation and         1994     123,646      15,000               --              4,669(3) 
 Chairman of Selas S.A. 
</TABLE>

                                        4
<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                     Long-Term
                                        Annual Compensation      Compensation Awards        
                                       ----------------------    -------------------      All Other
Name and Principal Position     Year    Salary($)    Bonus($)        Options(#)        Compensation($) 
- ---------------------------     ----    ---------    --------        ----------        --------------- 
<S>                             <C>      <C>         <C>             <C>                <C>      
Robert W. Ross  ............    1996     125,000      62,500              --              1,875(1) 
Vice President and              1995     125,000      15,000           8,000              1,725(1) 
 Chief Financial Officer        1994     115,000      39,324              --              1,725(1) 

Frank J. Boyle  ............    1996     110,000      55,000              --              1,650(1) 
Vice President,                 1995     110,000      15,000           6,000              1,650(1) 
 Sales and Engineering          1994     105,000      30,776              --              1,575(1) 
</TABLE>

- ------ 
(1) Represents the Corporation's or a subsidiary's contributions to the Named 
    Officer's account under employee savings plans. 

(2) Mr. Bailliart's salary and bonus, which were paid in French Francs, have 
    been translated into U.S. dollars for purposes of this presentation based 
    upon the average prevailing exchange rate for the applicable year. 

(3) Represents amounts paid by the Corporation or its subsidiaries to obtain 
    insurance which provides coverage to Mr. Bailliart in the event Mr. 
    Bailliart's employment is terminated. 

STOCK OPTION TABLE 

   The following table sets forth certain information with respect to the 
number of unexercised options and the value of unexercised in-the-money 
options at the 1996 fiscal year-end, respectively, held by Named Officers. 
No stock options were granted to, or exercised by, Named Officers in fiscal 
1996. 

                     AGGREGATED OPTION EXERCISES IN 1996 
                     AND DECEMBER 31, 1996 OPTION VALUES 

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                             Number of Shares                Value of Unexercised 
                                                          Covered by Unexercised             In-the-Money Options 
                                                       Options at December 31, 1996         at December 31, 1996(1) 
                                                      -----------------------------      ----------------------------- 
                           Shares 
                          Acquired        Value 
Name                     on Exercise     Realized     Exercisable     Unexercisable      Exercisable     Unexercisable 
- ----                     -----------     --------     -----------     -------------      -----------     ------------- 
<S>                     <C>             <C>          <C>              <C>               <C>             <C>
Stephen F. Ryan  ....        --             --           29,500           11,500          $169,751         $ 83,250 
Mark S. Gorder  .....        --             --           18,200           18,800           126,864          145,201 
Christian Bailliart          --             --            9,200            6,800            36,101           50,650 
Robert W. Ross  .....        --             --           18,100            9,400            65,550           68,700 
Frank J. Boyle  .....        --             --           29,200            6,800           222,519           50,650 
</TABLE>

(1) Represents the difference between the option exercise price and the fair 
    market value of the Corporation's Common Shares at December 31, 1996. 
    In-the-money options are those where the fair market value of the 
    underlying securities exceeds the exercise price of the option. The 
    closing price of the Corporation's Common Shares on December 31, 1996 was 
    $17.125 per share. 

                                      5 
<PAGE>

CHANGE-OF-CONTROL ARRANGEMENTS 

   Under agreements expiring December 31, 1997 with Messrs. Ryan, Boyle, 
Gorder and Ross, the Corporation would be required to pay two years' salary 
to them upon involuntary termination (defined to include a reduction in 
salary, change of location or adverse change in responsibilities) following a 
hostile change in control or hostile sale of substantial assets of the 
Corporation or, in the case of Mr. Gorder, Resistance Technology, Inc. 

RETIREMENT PLAN 

   Contributions to the Corporation's Retirement Plan adopted in 1986 
covering certain officers and salaried employees are not reflected in the 
preceding executive compensation tables. The Corporation's Retirement Plan is 
a funded, qualified, defined benefit pension plan that provides benefits for 
eligible employees. The Corporation's Supplemental Retirement Plan, adopted 
in 1994, is a non-qualified supplemental plan that provides benefits that 
would otherwise be denied to eligible employees by reason of certain Internal 
Revenue Code limitations on qualified plan benefits. The following table 
shows the estimated aggregate annual benefits, without offset for Social 
Security benefits, at normal retirement age payable under the Corporation's 
Retirement Plan and the Supplemental Retirement Plan based upon contributions 
both by the Corporation and the covered employee, assuming election of 
payment in the form of an annuity for the employee's life. Effective January 
1, 1992, the Corporation eliminated the requirement for employee contribution 
to the Retirement Plan. Annual benefits under the Corporation's Retirement 
Plan and the Supplemental Retirement Plan are based upon the average total 
eligible annual compensation for all eligible years of employment. 

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 Average total eligible 
annual compensation for 
 all (or last 35) years           Estimated annual retirement benefits 
    of employment                     based on credited service of: 
 -----------------------  --------------------------------------------------- 
                            10 years     15 years      20 years     25 years 
                           ----------    ----------   ----------    ---------- 
<S>                       <C>            <C>          <C>           <C>
       $ 50,000             $ 8,400       $12,600      $ 16,800     $ 21,000 
        100,000              17,400        26,100        34,800       43,500 
        150,000              26,400        39,600        52,800       66,000 
        200,000              35,400        53,100        70,800       88,500 
        250,000              44,400        66,600        88,800      111,000 
        300,000              53,400        80,100       106,800      133,500 
</TABLE>

The estimated credited years of service under the pension plan for the Named 
Officers were as follows: Mr. Ryan, 8; Mr. Boyle, 10; and Mr. Ross, 5. Mr. 
Bailliart and Mr. Gorder do not participate in the Retirement Plan or the 
Supplemental Retirement Plan. The total amount payable annually under the 
Corporation's Retirement Plan and Supplemental Retirement Plan is limited to 
an amount specified in the Internal Revenue Code which is adjusted 
periodically. For 1997, this maximum amount is $125,000. 

RESISTANCE TECHNOLOGY, INC. 

   On October 20, 1993, the Corporation acquired all of the outstanding 
common shares of Resistance Technology, Inc., a Minnesota corporation 
("RTI"). At the time of consummation of the acquisition of RTI, RTI entered 
into a five-year employment agreement with Mr. Gorder which provides for a 
minimum base annual compensation of $160,706. Under such employment agreement 

                                        6
<PAGE>

and an accompanying non-competition agreement between the Corporation and Mr.
Gorder, Mr. Gorder, who currently serves as vice president of the Corporation
and president of RTI, has agreed not to engage in certain activities which are
competitive with RTI for a period equal to the greater of (i) three years
following the termination of his employment by RTI or (ii) five years from the
date of his employment agreement. 

   Mr. Gorder is a general partner (with a one-third interest) of Arden 
Partners I, L.L.P., a Minnesota limited liability partnership ("Arden") that 
owns and leases to RTI under a lease entered into in October 1991, and 
amended and restated effective November 1, 1996, one of RTI's two 
manufacturing facilities. In connection with the RTI acquisition, Arden 
executed an agreement with RTI to extend the term of such lease from November 
1, 1996 to October 31, 2003 and to grant RTI two successive renewal term 
options of five years each. Under this extension agreement, the base monthly 
rent during each extension term is to be tied to the fair rental value at the 
commencement of the applicable extension term. Under the current lease, RTI 
pays Arden a base monthly rent of approximately $27,500. 

   Notwithstanding any incorporation of future filings, including proxy 
statements, by reference contained in any of the Corporation's previous 
filings under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Securities Exchange Act of 
1934, the following Compensation Committee Report and the Performance Graph 
on page 9 shall not be incorporated into any such filings. Such report and 
graph are not to be deemed filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission 
and are not to be regarded as proxy solicitation material. 

COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT 

   The Corporation's compensation program for officers, which is administered 
by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors, is designed to align 
a significant portion of officer compensation with the Corporation's business 
objectives and performance. The Compensation Committee consists of three 
outside directors, none of whom has ever been an employee of the Corporation 
or any of its subsidiaries. 

   The Corporation's officer compensation program is comprised of base 
salary, potential annual cash incentive compensation and long-term incentive 
compensation in the form of stock options. Officers are also covered under 
medical, life insurance, pension and savings plans generally available to 
employees of the Corporation or the business unit managed by the officer. 

   Through the use of data on comparable companies and its evaluation of 
officers' performance, the Compensation Committee's objective is to recommend 
to the Board of Directors the setting of total base salary and potential 
incentive compensation for Mr. Ryan, the Corporation's Chief Executive 
Officer, and other officers at levels designed to achieve the Corporation's 
objectives of attracting, retaining, motivating and rewarding talented 
executives. The Committee's philosophy is that a significant portion of the 
total potential compensation of the Chief Executive Officer and other senior 
executives should be leveraged to be dependent upon the degree of the 
Corporation's or a business unit's financial success in a particular year. 
The bonus or incentive compensation paid to Messrs. Ryan, Boyle and Ross in 
respect of 1996 was a function of the achievement of targeted consolidated 
net income for the year and the recommendation of the Committee, approved by 
the Board of Directors, that such officers receive an additional 
discretionary award based on performance. Mr. Bailliart received bonus 
compensation in respect of 1996 based upon the financial performance of his 
business unit and an additional discretionary award. Mr. Gorder received 
bonus compensation for 1996 under an incentive compensation plan that has 
been in existence at RTI since before the acquisition of RTI by the 
Corporation. Under such plan, incentive compensation is tied to increases in 
net income and sales of RTI and certain individual performance objectives. 

                                      7 
<PAGE>

   The Committee has recommended to the Board of Directors that an incentive 
compensation program be established for 1997 that will apply financial 
performance measures and, in certain cases, management performance objectives 
that are tailored to the nature of the particular business unit and the 
desired contribution of that unit to the overall financial results of the 
Corporation. In most instances, incentive compensation for the Corporation's 
executive officers would depend substantially upon an improvement of 1997 net 
income of the relevant business unit over the corresponding net income for 
1996. In all cases, incentive compensation would to a significant degree be 
dependent upon the achievement of financial performance targets relating to a 
particular business unit or to the Corporation on a consolidated basis. 

   The Corporation's stock option plan is its long-term incentive plan for 
officers and key employees. The stock option plan is designed further to 
align the interests of the Corporation's executives and its shareholders by 
creating a direct link between long-term executive compensation and long-term 
increases in shareholder values. Since all options are granted at fair market 
value at the time of grant, there is no built-in profit and thus the value of 
the option is tied solely and directly to increases in value of the 
Corporation's Common Shares. Stock options are granted to the Corporation's 
officers from time to time as deemed appropriate by the Committee based on 
various factors, including particularly the executive's ability to influence 
the Corporation's long-term growth and profitability. 

   The Compensation Committee periodically reviews the base compensation of 
the Corporation's officers. At the end of 1995, based on various factors, 
including the Corporation's 1995 financial results and prior increases in Mr. 
Ryan's base compensation that had been made in view of, among other things, 
salaries of chief executive officers of companies comparable, in the 
Committee's judgment, to the Corporation, the Committee recommended that the 
base annual rate of compensation of Mr. Ryan for 1996 remain the same as in 
1995. At the end of 1996, based on various factors, including the Committee's 
review of the salaries of chief executive officers of companies comparable, 
in the judgment of the Committee, to the Corporation, the Committee 
recommended that Mr. Ryan's base annual rate of compensation for 1997 be 
increased by 5%. 

                                            THE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE 
                                             Roy C. Carriker, Chairman 
                                             Francis J. Dunleavy 
                                             Ralph R. Whitney, Jr. 

                                      8 
<PAGE>

PERFORMANCE GRAPH 

   The following graph shows the cumulative total return for the last five 
years, calculated as of December 31 of each such year, for the Corporation's 
Common Shares, the Standard & Poor's 500 Index and the American Stock 
Exchange Capital Goods Index. The graph assumes that the value of the 
investment in each of the three was $100 at December 31, 1991 and that all 
dividends were reinvested. 


300 |-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
    |                                                                         |
    |                                                                      #  |
250 |-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
    |                                                                         |
    |                                                         #               |
200 |-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
    |                                                                      &  |
    |                                                         &            *  |
    |                                                                         |
150 |-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
    |                           *&             &#                             |
    |                           #                                             |
    |             *#                                                          |
100 |*&#----------&-----------------------------------------------------------|
    |                                          *              *               |
    |                                                                         |
 50 |-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
    |                                                                         |
    |                                                                         |
  0 |-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
    1991         1992           1993           1994          1995          1996
                                     BASE YEAR
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                               1991        1992       1993      1994      1995     1996
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                            <C>         <C>        <C>       <C>       <C>     <C>
*   Selas                      $100        $108       $129      $ 94      $ 95     $171

&   AMEX Capital Goods Index    100         101        125       121       176      186

#   S&P 500 Index               100         108        119       122       213      262
</TABLE>


                                        9
<PAGE>

BOARD AND COMMITTEE MATTERS 

   The Corporation's Board of Directors met nine times in 1996. Directors who 
are not officers of the Corporation receive an annual retainer of $20,000 
plus $800 per Board or Committee meeting attended on a particular day and 
$400 for each additional Board or Committee meeting attended on the same day. 

   The Board of Directors has standing Audit and Compensation Committees. 
There is no standing Nominating Committee. 

   The Audit Committee, comprised of Mr. Austin, Chairman, and Mr. Bissinger, 
met two times in 1996. The Audit Committee receives information from the 
outside auditors and from management of the Corporation relating to the 
Corporation's financial statements and considers recommendations of the 
auditors and financial management as to audit and accounting matters. 

   The Compensation Committee, comprised of Mr. Carriker, Chairman, and 
Messrs. Dunleavy and Whitney, met two times during 1996. The Compensation 
Committee reviews and makes recommendations to the Board of Directors 
concerning officer compensation and officer and employee bonus programs and 
administers the Corporation's 1994 Stock Option Plan. 

SECTION 16(A) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE 

   Section 16(a) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, 
requires the Corporation's executive officers and directors and persons who 
own more than ten percent of a registered class of the Corporation's equity 
securities (collectively, the "reporting persons") to file reports of 
ownership and changes in ownership with the Securities and Exchange 
Commission and to furnish the Corporation with copies of these reports. 

   Based on the Corporation's review of the copies of these reports received 
by it, and written representations, if any, received from reporting persons 
with respect to the filing of reports of Forms 3, 4 and 5, the Corporation 
believes that all filings required to be made by the reporting persons for 
fiscal 1996 were made on a timely basis. 

SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS 

   Under Securities and Exchange Commission rules, certain shareholder 
proposals may be included in the Corporation's proxy statement. Any 
shareholder desiring to have such a proposal included in the Corporation's 
proxy statement for the Annual Meeting to be held in 1998 must deliver a 
proposal in full compliance with Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act 
of 1934 to the Corporation's executive offices not later than November 15, 
1997. 

                                       10
<PAGE>

OTHER MATTERS 

   The management of the Corporation knows of no matters other than those 
stated above to come before the meeting. However, if any other matters should 
properly come before the meeting, the enclosed proxy confers discretionary 
authority with respect thereto. 

   The cost of printing and mailing this notice and soliciting the proxies is 
to be borne by the Corporation. Employees of the Corporation may solicit 
proxies by personal interview, mail, telephone and telegraph. The Corporation 
has retained Hill and Knowlton, Inc. to assist in the solicitation of proxies 
at an estimated cost of approximately $3,000 plus expenses. The Corporation 
will request brokerage houses and other nominees to forward soliciting 
material to the beneficial owners of the shares held of record by such 
persons. The Corporation will reimburse them for their expenses in doing so. 

                                                     Robert W. Ross 
                                                     Secretary 







                                      11 
<PAGE>

                         SELAS CORPORATION OF AMERICA 
                         DRESHER, PENNSYLVANIA 19025 

         THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

  The undersigned, revoking all prior proxies, hereby appoints STEPHEN F. 
RYAN AND ROBERT W. ROSS, and either of them, with full power of substitution, 
as proxies and hereby authorizes them to represent and to vote all the Common 
Shares of Selas Corporation of America held of record by the undersigned on 
March 10, 1997 at the annual meeting of shareholders to be held on April 22, 
1997 or any adjournment thereof. 










PLEASE MARK, SIGN, DATE AND RETURN THIS PROXY CARD PROMPTLY IN THE ENCLOSED 
                            POSTAGE PAID ENVELOPE. 

                          (continued on reverse side)


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<PAGE>

                                                              Please mark 
                                                             your votes as 
                                                             indicated in 
                                                             this example 

                                                                 /X/ 

  1. ELECTION OF DIRECTORS. 
     The nominees for election are Frederick L. Bissinger and Roy C. Carriker
 
  FOR all nominees          Withhold Authority    To withhold authority to vote
  listed above (except      to vote for all       for any individual nominee,
  as marked to the          nominees listed       write that nominee's name in
  contrary at the right)    above                 the space provided below.
        / /                     / /               
                                                  -----------------------------

  2. PROPOSAL TO RATIFY THE APPOINTMENT OF KPMG PEAT 
     MARWICK LLP AS THE AUDITORS OF THE CORPORATION. 

                FOR          AGAINST         ABSTAIN
                / /            / /             / /

  3. In their discretion, the Proxies are authorized to vote 
     upon such other business as may properly come before 
     the meeting. 

                                        THE SHARES REPRESENTED BY THIS PROXY,
                                        DULY EXECUTED, WILL BE VOTED AS
                                        INSTRUCTED ABOVE. IF INSTRUCTIONS ARE
                                        NOT GIVEN, THEY WILL BE VOTED FOR THE
                                        ELECTION OF DIRECTORS AS SET FORTH IN
                                        THE CORPORATION'S PROXY STATEMENT AND
                                        FOR RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF
                                        AUDITORS.

                                        --------------------------------------
 
                                        --------------------------------------
                                                     Signature
 
                                        Your signature should appear exactly as
                                        your name appears in the space to the
                                        left. For joint accounts, any co-owner
                                        may sign. When signing in a fiduciary or
                                        representative capacity, please give
                                        your full title as such.

                                        Date                             , 1997
                                            -----------------------------


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