Company: AAOI
Filing Date: 2025-04-18
Form Type: PRE 14A
Source: 0001104659-25-036344
Chunk: 18

Company: APPLIED OPTOELECTRONICS, INC.
Filing Date: 2025-04-18
Form: PRE 14A
Chunk 18
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 basis; • reviewing and evaluating the compensation committee’s own performance; • reviewing with the Chairman of the Board and the Chief Executive Officer the succession plan relating to the Chief Executive Officer and the management development plan and making recommendations to the Board with respect to such plans; • reviewing the compensation paid to non-employee directors and making recommendations to the Board for any adjustments; and • receiving and reviewing an annual report of all reported transactions in equity securities of the Company of any officer or director who is subject to the reporting and short-swing liability provisions of Section 16 of the Exchange Act. The compensation committee may delegate its authority to a subcommittee to make grants of compensatory equity awards to executive officers and other employees, provided that these grants are made within established guidelines. In addition, the compensation committee may obtain advice or assistance from compensation consultants, legal counsel, or other advisors to perform its duties, provided that the compensation committee shall periodically assess the independence of any such compensation consultant as required by Nasdaq rules and applicable law. In 2024, the compensation committee retained Aon — the Human Capital Solutions practice of Aon plc (“Aon”) — as its compensation consultant for executive officer and director compensation. Aon reports directly to the compensation committee and to the compensation committee chair. While Aon coordinates with our management for data collection, including obtaining the job descriptions for our executive officers, Aon does not provide any other services to us. The compensation committee has evaluated Aon’s independence pursuant to the listing standards of Nasdaq and the relevant SEC rules and has determined that no conflict of interest has arisen as a result of the work performed by Aon. The compensation committee held six meetings during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024. Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee Our nominating and corporate governance committee currently consists of William H. Yeh, Elizabeth Loboa and Richard B. Black, each of whom is not an employee and is otherwise “independent” as that term 10 TABLE OF CONTENTS is defined in the applicable rules of the SEC and Nasdaq. Mr. Yeh serves as the chairman of this committee. Our nominating and corporate governance committee oversees and advises the Board with respect to corporate governance matters, assists the Board in identifying and recommending qualified candidates for nomination to the Board, makes recommendations to the Board with respect to assignments to committees of the Board and oversees the evaluation of the Board. The nominating and corporate governance committee acts pursuant to a written charter that has been adopted by the Board. A copy of the charter is