DEF 14A 1 wow-20220503xdef14a.htm DEF 14A

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of

the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. )


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Filed by a Party other than the Registrant ◻
Check the appropriate box:
◻	Preliminary Proxy Statement
◻	Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
⌧	Definitive Proxy Statement
◻	Definitive Additional Materials
◻	Soliciting Material under §240.14a-12


WideOpenWest, Inc.
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

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◻	Fee computed on table in exhibit required by Item 25(b) per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11

Table of Contents

WIDEOPENWEST, INC.

7887 East Belleview Avenue, Suite 1000

Englewood, Colorado 80111

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

To Be Held May 3, 2022

To the Stockholders of WideOpenWest, Inc.:

The Annual Meeting of Stockholders of WideOpenWest, Inc. (“Company”) will be held on May 3, 2022 at 10:00 a.m., EDT, virtually via a live webcast, for the following purposes:

Items of Business

(1)

To re-elect three members of the Board of Directors. The Board intends to present for re-election the following three nominees: Daniel Kilpatrick, Tom McMillin and Barry Volpert;

(2)To ratify the appointment of BDO USA, LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm for 2022;

(3)An advisory (non-binding) vote on the Company’s executive compensation; and

(4)

To transact such other business as may properly come before the Annual Meeting and any postponement or adjournment thereof.

Record Date

Close of business on March 11, 2022.


	Sincerely,

	/s/ JEFFREY MARCUS
	Jeffrey Marcus Chairman of the Board Englewood, Colorado March 21, 2022

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON MAY 3, 2022: The Company’s Notice of Annual Meeting, Proxy Statement and 2021 Annual Report to stockholders are available on the Internet at www.proxyvote.com.

Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS


		Page
THE MEETING		1

GENERAL INFORMATION		1

DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS, AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE		4

SECTION 16(A) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE		13

OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT		13

CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS		15

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION		16

SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE		23

GRANTS OF PLAN-BASED AWARDS IN 2021		24

OUTSTANDING EQUITY AWARDS AT 2021 FISCAL YEAR-END		25

OPTION EXERCISES AND EQUITY UNITS VESTED IN 2021		26

NON-QUALIFIED DEFERRED COMPENSATION IN 2021		27

POTENTIAL PAYMENTS UPON TERMINATION OR CHANGE IN CONTROL		27

CHANGE IN CONTROL AND SEVERANCE PAYMENTS AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2021		30

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER PAY RATIO		32

COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT		33

AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT		34

PROPOSALS		35

OTHER MATTERS		37


					Current
					Term
Name	Age	Position(s)	Class	Appointed	Expiration
Director Nominees:
Daniel Kilpatrick	41	Director	II	March 15, 2017	2022
Tom McMillin	60	Director	II	August 7, 2017	2022
Barry Volpert	62	Director	II	October 16, 2019	2022
Continuing Directors:
Gunjan Bhow	51	Director	III	July 29, 2020	2023
Jill Bright	59	Director	III	September 5, 2017	2023
Brian Cassidy	48	Director	III	March 15, 2017	2023
Teresa Elder	60	Chief Executive Officer and Director	I	December 14, 2017	2024
Jeffrey Marcus	75	Chairman of the Board	I	March 15, 2017	2024
Phil Seskin	58	Director	I	March 15, 2017	2024


		Nominating and
	Audit	Corporate Governance	Compensation
Director	Committee	Committee	Committee
Teresa Elder
Gunjan Bhow			Member
Jill Bright		Member	Chair
Brian Cassidy		Member
Daniel Kilpatrick	Member		Member
Jeffrey Marcus
Tom McMillin	Chair		Member
Phil Seskin	Member	Chair
Barry Volpert
Number of Meetings in 2021:	6	4	6


				Number of securities
				remaining available for
				future issuance under
	Number of securities to be			equity compensation plans
	issued upon exercise of	Weighted‑average exercise		(excluding securities
	outstanding options,	price of outstanding		reflected in the first
Plan category	warrants or rights(#)(1)	grants		column)(#)(1)
Equity compensation plans approved by stockholders	4,325,124	$	—	3,138,071
Equity compensation plans not approved by stockholders	—		—	—
Total	4,325,124	$	—	3,138,071


	Common Stock Owned
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner(1)	Number	Percentage
Principal Stockholders:
Crestview(2)	31,487,476	36%
Nine Ten Capital	7,207,777	8%
The Vanguard Group	4,963,901	6%
Named Executive Officers and Directors:
Teresa Elder	1,478,882	2%
John Rego	254,494	*
Craig Martin	432,208	*
Don Schena	236,001	*
David Brunick	230,335	*
Henry Hryckiewicz	135,037	*
Bill Case	171,092	*
Brian Cassidy(2)	—	*
Daniel Kilpatrick(2)	—	*
Jeffrey Marcus	42,224	*
Tom McMillin(3)	86,210	*
Phil Seskin(3)	86,881	*
Jill Bright(3)	93,354	*
Barry Volpert(2)	—	*
Gunjan Bhow	26,282	*
Executive Officers and Directors as a Group (15 persons)(4)	3,273,000	4%

· Akamai Technologies, Inc.	· Iridium Communications, Inc.
· ATN International, Inc.	· Shenandoah Telecommunications Company
· Cable One, Inc.	· United States Cellular Corp
· Cogeco Communications Holdings, Inc.	· Uniti Group
· Consolidated Communications Holdings, Inc.	· Viasat, Inc.
· EchoStar Corporation	· Vonage Holdings Corp.
· GTT Communications, Inc.	· Ziff Davis Inc.


	2021		2020		Percent
Name	Base Salary		Base Salary		Change
Teresa Elder	$	819,000	$	787,500	4%
John Rego	$	468,000	$	450,000	4%
Craig Martin	$	405,600	$	390,000	4%
Don Schena	$	400,920	$	385,500	4%
David Brunick	$	375,000	$	375,000	0%


	Target		Actual Performance		Weighted Payout

	(in millions)				(%)
Adjusted EBITDA	$	391.5	$	414.1	108.1	%	(1)
HSD Revenue	$	568.4	$	567.0	12.8	%	(2)
Adjusted Free Cash Flow	$	94.8	$	134.8	15.0	%	(3)
Total 2021 STIP Payout					135.9	%


	Base		Target STIP		Overall STIP		2021 Bonus
Name	Salary		Percentage of Base Salary		Achievement		Earned
Teresa Elder	$	819,000	125.0	%	135.9	%	$	1,391,276
John Rego	$	468,000	70.0	%	135.9	%	$	445,208
Craig Martin	$	405,600	50.0	%	135.9	%	$	275,605
Don Schena	$	400,920	50.0	%	135.9	%	$	272,425
David Brunick	$	375,000	50.0	%	135.9	%	$	254,813


							Non‑Equity
Name and							Incentive Plan	All Other
Principal Position	Year	Salary($)		Bonus($)		Stock Awards ($)(1)	Compensation($)	Compensation($)		Total($)
Teresa Elder	2021	819,000		400,000	(2)	3,318,809	1,391,276	—		5,929,085
Chief Executive	2020	787,500				3,904,889	1,043,438	—		5,735,827
Officer	2019	787,500				3,499,994	759,938	—		5,047,432
John Rego	2021	468,000		200,000	(3)	1,422,342	445,208	—		2,535,550
Chief Financial	2020	225,000	(4)			992,494	176,073	—		1,393,567
Officer	2019	—				—	—	—		—
Craig Martin	2021	405,600		200,000	(5)	698,506	275,605	1,657	(6)	1,581,368
General Counsel	2020	390,000				821,882	206,700	3,184		1,421,766
and Secretary	2019	390,000				663,000	150,540	56,814		1,260,354
Don Schena	2021	400,920				690,464	272,425	—		1,363,809
Chief Customer	2020	385,500				812,396	204,315	—		1,402,211
Experience Officer	2019	385,500				655,350	148,803	—		1,189,653
David Brunick	2021	375,000				645,813	254,813	—		1,275,626
Chief Human	2020	375,000				790,269	198,750	—		1,364,019
Resources Officer	2019	375,000				637,500	144,750	—		1,157,250


		All Other			Grant Date
		Stock Awards:	Grant Date		Fair Value of
Name	Grant Date	Number (#)	Value ($)		Stock Awards ($)(1)
Teresa Elder	3/3/2021	103,343	15.85		1,637,987
	3/3/2021	51,671	15.85	(2)	818,985
	3/3/2021	31,046	27.76	(3)	861,837
John Rego	3/3/2021	44,290	15.85		701,997
	3/3/2021	22,145	15.85	(2)	350,998
	3/3/2021	13,305	27.76	(3)	369,347
Craig Martin	3/3/2021	21,751	15.85		344,753
	3/3/2021	10,875	15.85	(2)	172,369
	3/3/2021	6,534	27.76	(3)	181,384
Don Schena	3/3/2021	21,500	15.85		340,775
	3/3/2021	10,750	15.85	(2)	170,388
	3/3/2021	6,459	27.76	(3)	179,302
David Brunick	3/3/2021	20,110	15.85		318,744
	3/3/2021	10,055	15.85	(2)	159,372
	3/3/2021	6,041	27.76	(3)	167,698


		Equity Awards	Market Value of
		Number of Shares	Shares or Units
		or Units of Stock	of Stock That
		That Have Not	Have Not
Name	Grant Date	Vested (#)	Vested ($)(1)
Teresa Elder(2)	3/22/2018	97,530	2,098,846
	3/14/2019	205,882	4,430,581
	3/11/2020	404,340	8,701,397
	8/5/2020	212,281	4,568,287
	3/3/2021	186,060	4,004,011
John Rego(3)	6/30/2020	141,248	3,039,657
	3/3/2021	79,740	1,716,005
Craig Martin(4)	3/22/2018

SEC Form DEF 14A filed by WideOpenWest Inc.