Stillwater Raises Additional Concerns about Dr. Charles Engles as a Clinton Group Director Nominee and Potential CEO Candidate for Stillwater
![Stillwater Raises Additional Concerns about Dr. Charles Engles as a Clinton Group Director Nominee and Potential CEO Candidate for Stillwater](https://www.goldseiten.de/media/goldseiten-news.jpg)
Company Calls on Gregory Taxin and Clinton Group to Disclose Nominee
Vetting Process
Stillwater Mining Company (NYSE:SWC) (TSX:SWC.U) ('Stillwater? or the
'Company?) today raised additional concerns regarding the Clinton Group,
Inc.′s ('Clinton Group?) nomination of Dr. Charles Engles to
Stillwater′s Board of Directors and its consideration of Dr. Engles as a
potential CEO candidate. Stillwater also called on Gregory Taxin of the
Clinton Group and a nominee himself to produce details of Clinton
Group′s director nominee vetting process, which has been highly
questionable.
After repeated calls for Dr. Engles to be transparent and forthright
with shareholders about why he abruptly resigned from Stillwater in
1997, Dr. Engles and the Clinton Group have failed to make an honest and
adequate disclosure. It is incumbent on Dr. Engles to explain his abrupt
resignation pursuant to an agreement with the Company, and details of
the internal investigation that preceded his departure. Shareholders
deserve to know the full truth about this important matter.
Separately, as disclosed in Stillwater′s Form 10-K for 1997 and 1998,
the Company, under Dr. Engles, entered into forward price hedges for
over 60 percent of its 1998 palladium production at $134 per ounce ? a
price that fell far short of covering the costs of producing palladium
at the time. Following Dr. Engles′s departure, these hedges
significantly impaired the Company′s financial performance.
Today, with Stillwater positioned to create shareholder value through
growth projects and expansion in Montana, the Clinton Group is
advocating price collars and the unnecessary early repayment of debt.
Dr. Engles′s palladium hedging strategy proved disadvantageous for the
Company in the past; it would be imprudent to replicate it and expect a
different result.
Gregory Taxin and the Clinton Group have failed to perform the most
basic of background checks on its director nominees that has resulted in
a highly questionable vetting process. Stillwater calls on Gregory Taxin
to produce details of the vetting process for each of the Clinton
Group′s nominees given the serious questions that have been raised about
their credentials and judgment.
Clinton Group pulled its former nominee, John DeMichiei, from its
slate promptly after Stillwater pointed out serious misstatements in
Mr. DeMichiei′s academic credentials.
Dr. Engles has failed to address the circumstances of his abrupt
resignation as CEO of Stillwater after only two and a half years or
details of the internal investigation that preceded his departure.
What other information has Clinton Group failed to identify or
willfully ignored about its nominees?
Shareholders should not be asked to support an unqualified slate of
directors that was not properly vetted. They deserve to know the facts
about all of Clinton′s nominees: Charles Engles, Brian Schweitzer, Seth
Gardner, Michael McNamara, Patrice Merrin, Mick McMullen, and of course,
Gregory Taxin.
All shareholders of record as of March 6, 2013 are entitled to vote at
the 2013 Annual Shareholders Meeting on May 2, 2013. Stillwater
encourages all shareholders to carefully review its definitive proxy
filing and other materials and vote only their WHITE proxy card. For
more information about Stillwater′s 2013 Annual Shareholders Meeting,
please visit www.supportstillwater.com.
About Stillwater Mining Company
Stillwater Mining Company is the only U.S. producer of palladium and
platinum and is the largest primary producer of platinum group metals
outside of South Africa and the Russian Federation. The Company′s shares
are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol SWC and on
the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol SWC.U. Information on
Stillwater Mining Company can be found at its website: www.stillwatermining.com.
Some statements contained in this news release are forward-looking
statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, and, therefore, involve uncertainties or risks that
could cause actual results to differ materially. These statements may
contain words such as 'believes,' 'anticipates,' 'plans,' 'expects,'
'intends,' 'projects', 'estimates,' 'forecast,' 'guidance,' or similar
expressions. These statements are not guarantees of the Company's future
performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other important
factors that could cause our actual performance or achievements to
differ materially from those expressed or implied by these
forward-looking statements. Such statements include, but are not limited
to, comments regarding expansion plans, costs, grade, production and
recovery rates, permitting, financing needs, the terms of future credit
facilities and capital expenditures, increases in processing capacity,
cost reduction measures, safety, timing for engineering studies, and
environmental permitting and compliance, litigation, labor matters and
the palladium and platinum market. Additional information regarding
factors, which could cause results to differ materially from
management's expectations, is found in the section entitled 'Risk
Factors' in the Company's 2012 Annual Report on Form 10-K and in
subsequent filings with the United States Securities & Exchange
Commission. The Company intends that the forward-looking statements
contained herein be subject to the above-mentioned statutory safe
harbors. Investors are cautioned not to rely on forward-looking
statements. The Company disclaims any obligation to update
forward-looking statements.
For Stillwater Mining Company
Mike Beckstead, 406-373-8971
or
Innisfree
M&A Incorporated
Arthur Crozier / Jennifer Shotwell / Scott
Winter
212-750-5833
or
Media:
Sard Verbinnen & Co
Dan
Gagnier / Michael Henson
212-687-8080