e8vk
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported): September 3, 2008 (September 1, 2008)
FREMONT GENERAL CORPORATION
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
|
|
|
|
|
Nevada
|
|
001-08007
|
|
95-2815260 |
|
|
|
|
|
(State or Other Jurisdiction
of Incorporation)
|
|
(Commission File Number)
Identification No.)
|
|
(I.R.S. Employer |
|
|
|
|
|
2727 East Imperial Highway
|
|
|
Brea, California
|
|
92821 |
|
|
|
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
|
|
(Zip Code) |
(Registrants Telephone Number, Including Area Code) (714) 961-5000
Not Applicable
(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the
filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
|
|
|
o |
|
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
|
|
|
|
o |
|
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
|
|
|
|
o |
|
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
|
|
|
|
o |
|
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
|
Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of
Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
(b) Resignations of Chief Executive Officer and President
On September 1, 2008, with the completion of the various projects that he had been working on,
Stephen H. Gordon tendered his resignation as the Chief Executive Officer of both Fremont General
Corporation (the Company), and its indirect wholly-owned subsidiary, Fremont Reorganizing
Corporation (formerly known as Fremont Investment & Loan) (FRC), and as the Chairman of the Board
of Fremont General Credit Corporation, the Companys wholly-owned subsidiary (FGCC), with such
resignations to be effective as of September 30, 2008. Mr. Gordon will continue to serve as the
Chairman of the Board of the Company and FRC and as a director of FGCC. As of the effective date
of Mr. Gordons resignation, his employment will be deemed to be terminated pursuant to that
certain Employment Agreement, dated November 9, 2007 (the Gordon Employment Agreement), by and
between Mr. Gordon, the Company and FRC. Under the terms of the Gordon Employment Agreement, the
Company and FRC are obligated to pay Mr. Gordon the unpaid portion of his accrued salary and any
unreimbursed reasonable expenses incurred through the effective date of his termination of service.
On September 1, 2008, with the completion of the various projects that he had been working on,
David S. DePillo tendered his resignation as the President of the Company, FRC and FGCC, effective
as of September 30, 2008. Mr. DePillo will continue to serve as the Vice Chairman of the Board of
the Company and FRC and as a director of FGCC. As of the effective date of Mr. DePillos
resignation, his employment will be deemed to be terminated pursuant to that certain Employment
Agreement, dated November 9, 2007 (the DePillo Employment Agreement), by and between Mr. DePillo,
the Company and FRC. Under the terms of the DePillo Employment Agreement, the Company and FRC are
obligated to pay Mr. DePillo the unpaid portion of his accrued salary and any unreimbursed
reasonable expenses incurred through the effective date of his termination of service.
For further information about the resignations, see the full text news release issued, which
is attached as Exhibits 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.
(c) Appointment of Interim Chief Executive Officer
On September 2, 2008, the Boards of Directors of the Company and FRC approved the appointment
of Richard A. Sanchez as Interim Chief Executive Officer, which will be effective as of October 1,
2008.
Mr. Sanchez, age 51, has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer
of the Company since November 2007 and as the Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative
Officer of FRC since December 2007. Prior to his positions with the Company and FRC, Mr. Sanchez
served as both a bank executive and banking regulator. From 2002 through 2006, he served as
Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and Corporate Secretary for CCBI and CCB and
was a director of both for the one-year period preceding CCBIs sale to Washington Mutual, Inc. Mr.
Sanchez was responsible for corporate risk management and government relations, as well as policy
development and review. From 1993 to 2002, Mr. Sanchez
was Deputy Regional Director for the Western regional office of the Office of Thrift
Supervision (OTS). In this capacity, Mr. Sanchez planned and directed the examination and
supervision of 85 insured financial institutions with total assets over $300 billion. Mr. Sanchez
was the recipient of Treasury Secretary Awards in 1994 and 1996 in connection with the resolution
of troubled thrifts at no cost to the Resolution Trust Corporation or SAIF insurance fund. Mr.
Sanchez supervised six assistant directors and a staff of approximately 100 professionals located
in San Francisco, Seattle and Southern California. Mr. Sanchez spent the ten previous years at the
OTS or its predecessor agency in various capacities, which included assistant director with
supervisory responsibilities for both problem institutions and large institution groups.
For further information about this appointment, see the full text news release issued, which
is attached as Exhibits 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.
(e) Amendment to the Employment Agreement of Mr. Sanchez
As a result of these changes in the management of the Company and FRC and the Companys desire
for the continued service of Mr. Sanchez as the Interim Chief Executive Officer, the Boards of
Directors of the Company and FRC approved an increase to Mr. Sanchezs annual base salary from
$500,000 to $600,000. This change in Mr. Sanchezs annual base salary will be reflected in an
amendment to the Employment Agreement, dated November 9, 2007 (the Sanchez Employment Agreement),
by and between Mr. Sanchez, the Company and FRC (the Amendment). The changes to be implemented
pursuant to the Amendment are subject to Bankruptcy Court review as those changes relate to the
Companys obligations to pay Mr. Sanchez.
Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure.
On September 3, 2008, the Company announced in a press release attached as Exhibit 99.1 hereto and
incorporated herein by reference that the Boards of Directors of the Company and FRC accepted the
voluntary resignations of Stephen H. Gordon and David S. DePillo, as their Chief Executive Officer
and President, respectively, effective September 30, 2008. Additionally, the Company announced
that Richard A. Sanchez has been appointed as Interim Chief Executive Officer for the Company and
FRC, effective October 1, 2008.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
|
|
|
Exhibit |
|
|
Number |
|
Description |
Exhibit 99.1
|
|
News Release issued by the Company, dated September 3, 2008 |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly
caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
|
|
|
|
|
|
FREMONT GENERAL CORPORATION
|
|
Date: September 3, 2008 |
By: |
/s/ Richard A. Sanchez
|
|
|
|
Name: |
Richard A. Sanchez |
|
|
|
Title: |
Executive Vice President and Chief
Administrative Officer |
|
|