The 2020 annual meeting season has certainly been one of significant change and challenge. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we, our clients, and the industry have been forced to adapt to a new means of conducting business in a short amount of time. As a result, the number of and demand for virtual shareholder meetings has skyrocketed. Continental Stock Transfer and Trust Company (CSTT) is dedicated to providing our issuers with the means and ability to achieve their goal of executing a safe and successful annual meeting during these unprecedented, difficult times. Prior to the pandemic, CSTT and our partner EZOnline had been evaluating and designing a Virtual Shareholder Meeting (VSM) platform to add to its extensive suite of proxy services. As conditions throughout the country continued to worsen, CSTT and EZOnline hastened its efforts to bring its virtual meeting platform to market. We are extremely proud and happy to report that not only has the product been fully implemented but we have also successfully conducted several virtual shareholder meetings with an additional 40+ meetings scheduled over the next few months.
CSTT’s VSM provides all the elements of an in person meeting without all of the logistical concerns of an in person meeting. Our platform which operates in conjunction with our hosting and voting sites is fully secure, safe, and effective, providing our issuers with more options while eliminating the need for travel or the requirement to organize costly in person meetings. The platform requires attendees to authenticate themselves prior to admittance and enables both registered as well as beneficial holders who have obtained a control number to vote and ask questions during the meeting. Our platform was designed for convenience, ease of use, and security. We allow for customization and accommodate multiple issuer presenters through audio-only, as well as hosting a slideshow as part of your virtual meeting experience.
Our platform utilizes a dedicated, secure CSTT managed URL to ensure the safety of your meeting. Verified shareholders have the ability to listen to the meeting through the VSM site or through a designated listen-only dial-in number. Questions from shareholders can be submitted through the VSM site and or an issuer designated email address. Shareholders can vote prior to or while participating in the meeting up until the polls are closed.
A summary of shareholders registered for the meeting, as well as questions submitted, will be provided to the company. Playback recordings will be available within 24 hours of the meeting and fully accessible for up to 12 months.
Our platform is administered by dedicated personnel who monitor and support your meeting.
