Company: AAOI
Filing Date: 2025-04-18
Form Type: PRE 14A
Source: 0001104659-25-036344
Chunk: 8

Company: APPLIED OPTOELECTRONICS, INC.
Filing Date: 2025-04-18
Form: PRE 14A
Chunk 8
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 classified Board consisting of two Class I directors, two Class II directors and three Class III directors. At each annual meeting of stockholders, directors are elected for a term of three years to succeed those directors whose terms expire at such annual meeting date. There are no arrangements or understandings between any director and any other person pursuant to which he or she is or was to be selected as a director of the Company. The term of the Class III directors, Richard B. Black, Chih-Hsiang (Thompson) Lin, and Min-Chu (Mike) Chen, will expire at the upcoming Annual Meeting. Accordingly, three persons are to be elected to serve as Class III directors of the Board at the Annual Meeting. The Board’s nominees for election by the stockholders to those three positions are the current Class III members of the Board, Richard B. Black, Chih-Hsiang (Thompson) Lin, and Min-Chu (Mike) Chen. If elected, each nominee will serve for a term expiring at our annual meeting of stockholders in 2028 and hold office until their respective successors are duly elected and qualified. If any of the director nominees declines to serve or becomes unavailable for any reason (although we know of no reason to anticipate that this will occur), or if a vacancy occurs before the election, the proxies may be voted for such substitute nominees as we may designate. The proxies cannot vote for more than three persons. The three nominees for Class III director receiving the highest number of “FOR” votes will be elected as Class III directors. We believe that each of our directors has demonstrated business acumen, ethical integrity, and an ability to exercise sound judgment as well as a commitment of service to us and our Board. THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE “FOR” THE ELECTION OF RICHARD B. BLACK, CHIH-HSIANG (THOMPSON) LIN, AND MIN-CHU (MIKE) CHEN AS CLASS III DIRECTORS. Biographical information concerning each of our directors, including the nominees, is set forth below as of April 17, 2025. Also set forth below are the specific experience, qualifications, attributes, or skills that led our nominating and corporate governance committee to conclude that each person should serve as a director.

| Name                                                                              | ​ | ​ | Age |   |    |   | ​ | ​ | DirectorSince |   |      |   | ​ |
| Class I Directors Whose