Schedule 14A Information
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(A) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. )
Filed by the Registrant [X]
Filed by a Party other than
the Registrant [ ]
Check the appropriate box:
[ ] Preliminary Proxy Statement [
] Confidential, for Use of the Commission
[X] Definitive Proxy
Statement Only (as permitted by Rule
14a-6(e)(2))
[ ] Definitive Additional
Materials
[ ] Soliciting Material
under Section 240.14a-12
TEMPLETON RUSSIA AND EAST EUROPEAN FUND, INC.
(Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, other than
the Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check
the appropriate box):
[X] No fee required.
[ ] Fee computed on table
below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.
(1)
Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:
(2)
Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:
(3) Per unit price or other underlying value of
transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount
on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined):
(4)
Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:
(5)
Total fee paid:
[ ] Fee paid previously with
preliminary materials.
[ ] Check box if any part of
the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the
filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous
filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date
of its filing.
(1)
Amount Previously Paid:
(2)
Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:
(3)
Filing Party:
(4)
Date Filed:
TEMPLETON RUSSIA AND EAST EUROPEAN FUND, INC.
IMPORTANT SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION
These
materials are for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the “Meeting”) scheduled
for August 27, 2010 at 12 Noon, Eastern time. The enclosed materials
discuss the proposals (the “Proposals” or each, a “Proposal”) to be voted on at
the Meeting, and contain the Notice of Meeting, proxy statement and proxy card.
A proxy card is, in essence, a ballot. When you vote your proxy, it tells us
how you wish to vote on important issues relating to Templeton Russia and East European Fund, Inc. (the “Fund”). If you specify a vote on a Proposal, your
proxy will be voted as you indicate. If you specify a vote on one Proposal but
not all Proposals, your proxy will be voted as specified on such Proposal and,
on the Proposal for which no vote is specified, your proxy will be voted FOR
such Proposal. If you simply sign, date and return the proxy card, but do not
specify a vote on any Proposal, your proxy will be voted FOR the Proposals.
We
urge you to spend a few minutes reviewing the Proposals in the proxy statement.
Then, please fill out and sign the proxy card and return it to us so that we
know how you would like to vote. When shareholders return their proxies
promptly, the Fund may be able to save money by not having to conduct
additional mailings.
We
welcome your comments. If you have any questions, call Fund Information at
(800) DIAL BEN
®
/ (800) 342-5236.
TELEPHONE AND
INTERNET VOTING
For your
convenience, you may be able to vote by telephone or through the Internet, 24
hours a day. If your account is eligible, instructions are enclosed.
[THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]
TEMPLETON RUSSIA AND EAST EUROPEAN FUND, INC.
NOTICE OF 2010 ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
The
Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the “Meeting”) of Templeton Russia and East European Fund, Inc. (the “Fund”) will be held at the Fund’s offices, 500 East Broward Boulevard, 12
th
Floor, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33394-3091 on August 27, 2010 at 12 Noon, Eastern time.
During the Meeting, shareholders of the Fund will vote
on the following Proposals:
1. The
election of five Directors of the Fund to hold office for the terms specified.
2. The
ratification of the selection of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the independent
registered public accounting firm of the Fund for the fiscal year ending
March 31, 2011.
By
Order of the Board of Directors,
Robert
C. Rosselot
Vice
President and Secretary
July 9, 2010
Please
sign and promptly return the proxy card or voting instruction form in the
enclosed self-addressed envelope regardless of the number of shares you own.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS FOR THE SHAREHOLDER MEETING TO BE
HELD ON AUGUST 27, 2010
The Fund’s
Notice of Annual Meeting of Shareholders, Proxy Statement and form of Proxy are
available on the Internet at http://www.proxyonline.com/FranklinTempleton. The
form of Proxy on the Internet site cannot be used to cast your vote.
[THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]
TEMPLETON
RUSSIA AND EAST EUROPEAN FUND, INC.
PROXY STATEMENT
¿
INFORMATION ABOUT VOTING
Who is asking for my vote?
The
Board of Directors of Templeton Russia and East European Fund, Inc. (the
“Fund”), in connection with the Fund’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the
“Meeting”), has requested your vote.
Who is eligible to vote?
Shareholders
of record at the close of business on June 18, 2010 are entitled to be
present and to vote at the Meeting or any adjourned Meeting. Each share of
record is entitled to one vote (and a proportionate fractional vote for each
fractional share) on each matter presented at the Meeting. The Notice of
Meeting, the proxy card, and the proxy statement were first mailed to
shareholders of record on or about July 9, 2010.
On what issues am I being asked to vote?
You are being asked to vote on two Proposals:
1. The
election of five Directors of the Fund; and
2. The
ratification of the selection of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (“PwC”) as the
independent registered public accounting firm of the Fund for the fiscal year
ending March 31, 2011.
How do the Fund’s Directors recommend that I vote?
The
Directors unanimously recommend that you vote FOR the election of the five
nominees and FOR the ratification of the selection of PwC as the independent
registered public accounting firm of the Fund.
How do I ensure that my vote is accurately recorded?
You
may attend the Meeting and vote in person or you may complete and return the
enclosed proxy card. If you are eligible to vote by telephone or through the
Internet, instructions are enclosed.
Proxy
cards that are properly signed, dated and received at or prior to the Meeting
will be voted as specified. If you specify a vote on any of the Proposals, your
proxy will be voted as you indicate, and any Proposal for which no vote is
specified will be voted FOR that Proposal. If you simply sign, date and return
the proxy card, but do not specify a vote on either Proposal 1 or 2, your
shares will be voted FOR the election of all nominees as Director and FOR the
ratification of the selection of PwC as the independent registered public
accounting firm of the Fund.
May I revoke my proxy?
You
may revoke your proxy at any time before it is voted by forwarding a written
revocation or a later-dated proxy to the Fund that is received by the Fund at
or prior to the Meeting, or by attending the Meeting and voting in person.
What if my shares are held in a brokerage account?
If
your shares are held by your broker, then in order to vote in person at the
Meeting, you will need to obtain a “Legal Proxy” from your broker and present
it to the Inspector of Election at the Meeting. Also, in order to revoke your
proxy, you may need to forward your written revocation or a later-dated proxy
card to your broker rather than to the Fund.
¿
THE PROPOSALS
PROPOSAL
1: ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
How are nominees selected?
The
Board of Directors of the Fund (the “Board” or the “Directors”) has a
Nominating Committee consisting of Edith E. Holiday (Chairperson), Frank J.
Crothers and Frank A. Olson, none of whom is an “interested person” of the Fund
as defined by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).
Directors who are not interested persons of the Fund are referred to as the
“Independent Directors,” and Directors who are interested persons of the Fund
are referred to as the “Interested Directors.”
The Nominating Committee is
responsible for selecting candidates to serve as Directors and recommending
such candidates (a) for selection and nomination as Independent Directors
by the incumbent Independent Directors and the full Board; and (b) for
selection and nomination as Interested Directors by the full Board. In
considering a candidate’s qualifications, the Nominating Committee generally
considers the potential candidate’s educational background, business or
professional experience, and reputation. In addition, the Nominating Committee
has established as minimum qualifications for Board membership as an
Independent Director: (1) that such candidate be independent from
relationships with the Fund’s investment manager and other principal service
providers both within the terms and the spirit of the statutory independence
requirements specified under the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder;
(2) that such candidate demonstrate an ability and willingness to make the
considerable time commitment, including personal attendance at Board meetings,
believed necessary to his or her function as an effective Board member; and
(3) that such candidate have no continuing relationship as a director,
officer or board member of any U.S. registered investment company other than
those within the Franklin Templeton Investments fund complex or a closed-end
business development company primarily investing in non-public entities. The
Nominating Committee has not adopted any specific policy on the issue of
diversity, but will take this into account, among other factors, in its
consideration of new candidates to the Board.
When
the Board has or expects to have a vacancy, the Nominating Committee receives
and reviews information on individuals qualified to be recommended to the full
Board as nominees for election as Directors, including any recommendations by
“Qualifying Fund Shareholders” (as defined below). Such individuals are
evaluated based upon the criteria described above. To date, the Nominating
Committee has been able to identify, and expects to continue to be able to
identify, from its own resources an ample number of qualified candidates. The
Nominating Committee, however, will review recommendations from Qualifying Fund
Shareholders to fill vacancies on the Board if these recommendations are
submitted in writing and addressed to the Nominating Committee at the Fund’s
offices and are presented with appropriate background material concerning the
candidate that demonstrates his or her ability to serve as a Director,
including as an Independent Director, of the Fund. A Qualifying Fund
Shareholder is a shareholder who (i) has continuously owned of record, or
beneficially through a financial intermediary, shares of the Fund having a net
asset value of not less than two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000)
during the twenty-four month period prior to submitting the recommendation; and
(ii) provides a written notice to the Nominating Committee containing the
following information: (a) the name and address of the Qualifying Fund
Shareholder making the recommendation; (b) the number of shares of the
Fund which are owned of record and beneficially by the Qualifying Fund
Shareholder and the length of time that the shares have been owned by the
Qualifying Fund Shareholder; (c) a description of all arrangements and
understandings between the Qualifying Fund Shareholder and any other person or
persons (naming such person or persons) pursuant to which the recommendation is
being made; (d) the name, age, date of birth, business address and
residence address of the person or persons being recommended; (e) such
other information regarding each person recommended by the Qualifying Fund
Shareholder as would be required to be included in a proxy statement filed
pursuant to the proxy rules of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
(“SEC”) had the nominee been nominated by the Board; (f) whether the
shareholder making the recommendation believes the person recommended would or
would not be an “interested person” of the Fund, as defined in the 1940 Act;
and (g) the written consent of each person recommended to serve as a
Director of the Fund if so nominated and elected/appointed.
The
Nominating Committee may amend these procedures from time to time, including
the procedures relating to the evaluation of nominees and the process for
submitting recommendations to the Nominating Committee.
The
Board has adopted and approved a formal written charter for the Nominating
Committee. A copy of the charter was included in the Fund’s proxy statement for
its 2008 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.
Who are the nominees and Directors?
The
Board is divided into three classes. Each class has a term of three years. Each
year the term of office of one class expires. This year, the terms of four
Directors expire. Edith E. Holiday, Frank A. Olson, Robert E. Wade and Charles
B. Johnson have been nominated for three-year terms, set to expire at the 2013
Annual Meeting of Shareholders. J. Michael Luttig has been nominated for a
one-year term, set to expire at the 2011 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. These
terms continue, however, until their successors are duly elected and qualified.
All of the nominees are currently members of the Board; however, J. Michael
Luttig is standing for election by the shareholders of the Fund for the first
time. An incumbent Independent Director recommended J. Michael Luttig for
consideration by the Nominating Committee as a nominee for Independent
Director. Among these nominees, Charles B. Johnson is deemed to be an
Interested Director. In addition, all of the current nominees and Directors are
also directors or trustees of other Franklin
®
funds, Templeton
®
funds, and/or Mutual Series
®
funds.
Interested
Directors of the Fund hold director and/or officer positions with Franklin
Resources, Inc. (“Resources”) and its affiliates. Resources is a publicly owned
holding company, the principal stockholders of which are Charles B. Johnson and
Rupert H. Johnson, Jr., who owned approximately 16.8% and 16.3%, respectively,
of its outstanding shares as of March 31, 2010. The shares deemed to be
beneficially owned by Charles B. Johnson include certain shares held by two
private charitable foundations, of which he disclaims beneficial ownership. The
shares deemed to be beneficially owned by Rupert H. Johnson, Jr. include
certain shares held by a private charitable foundation and his spouse, of which
he disclaims beneficial ownership. Resources, a global investment management
organization operating as Franklin Templeton Investments, is primarily engaged
through various subsidiaries, in providing investment management, share
distribution, transfer agent and administrative services to a family of
investment companies. Resources is a New
York Stock
Exchange (“NYSE”) listed holding company (NYSE: BEN). Charles B. Johnson,
Chairman of the Board, Director and Vice President of the Fund, and Gregory E.
Johnson, Director of the Fund, are father and son. Rupert H. Johnson, Jr., Vice
President of the Fund, is the brother of Charles B. Johnson and the uncle of
Gregory E. Johnson. There are no other family relationships among the Directors
or nominees for Director.
Each
nominee currently is available and has consented to serve if elected. If any of
the nominees should become unavailable, the designated proxy holders will vote
in their discretion for another person or persons who may be nominated to serve
as Directors.
In
addition to personal qualities, such as integrity, in considering candidates
for the Fund Board, the Nominating Committee seeks to find persons of good
reputation whose experience and background evidences that such person has the
ability to comprehend, discuss and critically analyze materials and issues
presented in exercising judgments and reaching informed conclusions relevant to
fulfillment of a Fund Director’s duties and fiduciary obligations. Information
on the business activities of the nominees and other Directors during the past
five years and beyond appears below and it is believed that the specific
background of each Director evidences such ability and is appropriate to his or
her serving on the Fund’s Board. As indicated, Harris J. Ashton and Frank A.
Olson have both served as chief executive officers of New York Stock Exchange
listed public corporations; Larry D. Thompson and Edith E. Holiday each have
legal backgrounds, including high level legal positions with departments of the
U.S. Government; David W. Niemiec and Ann Torre Bates have each been chief
financial officers of major corporations; J. Michael Luttig has fifteen years
of judicial experience as a Federal Appeals Court Judge; Robert E. Wade has
over thirty years of experience as a practicing attorney; Constantine D.
Tseretopoulos has professional and executive experience as founder and Chief of
Staff of a hospital; Frank J. Crothers has served as the chief executive
officer of several foreign closely held corporations; and Charles B. Johnson
and Gregory E. Johnson are both high ranking executive officers of Franklin
Templeton Investments.
Listed
below with the business activities of the nominees and Directors, are their
names and years of birth, their positions and length of service with the Fund
and the number of portfolios in the Franklin Templeton Investments fund complex
that they oversee.
|
|
|
|
|
Nominees for Independent Director to serve until
2013 Annual Meeting of Shareholders:
|
Name, Year of Birth and Address
|
Position
|
Length of
Time Served
|
Number of
Portfolios in
Franklin
Templeton
Investments
Fund Complex
Overseen
by Director*
|
Other Directorships Held
During the Past Five Years
|
Edith E. Holiday
(1952)
500 East Broward Blvd.
Suite 2100
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33394-3091
|
Lead Independent Director
|
Director since 1996 and Lead Independent
Director
since 2007
|
131
|
Hess
Corporation (exploration and refining of oil and gas), H.J. Heinz Company
(processed foods and allied products), RTI International Metals, Inc.
(manufacture and distribution of titanium), Canadian National Railway
(railroad) and White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd. (holding company).
|
|
Principal Occupation During Past 5 Years and Beyond:
|
Director or Trustee of
various companies and trusts; and
formerly
, Assistant to the President of the United States and
Secretary of the Cabinet (1990–1993); General Counsel to the United States
Treasury Department (1989–1990); and Counselor to the Secretary and Assistant
Secretary for Public Affairs and Public Liaison-United States Treasury
Department (1988–1989).
|
Frank A. Olson
(1932)
500 East Broward Blvd.
Suite 2100
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33394-3091
|
Director
|
Since 2003
|
131
|
Hess
Corporation (exploration and refining of oil and gas).
|
|
Principal Occupation During Past 5 Years and Beyond:
|
Chairman Emeritus, The Hertz
Corporation (car rental) (since 2000) (Chairman of the Board
(1980–2000) and Chief Executive Officer (1977–1999)); and
formerly
,
Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer, UAL Corporation
(airlines).
|
Robert E. Wade
(1946)
500 East Broward Blvd.
Suite 2100
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33394-3091
|
Director
|
Since 2006
|
38
|
El Oro Ltd (investments).
|
|
Principal Occupation During Past 5 Years and Beyond:
|
Attorney at law engaged in
private practice (1973–2009) and member of various boards.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nominee
for Interested Director to serve until 2013 Annual Meeting of Shareholders:
|
Name, Year of
Birth and Address
|
Position
|
Length of
Time Served
|
Number of
Portfolios in
Franklin
Templeton
Investments
Fund Complex
Overseen
by Director*
|
Other Directorships Held
During
the Past Five Years
|
**Charles B. Johnson
(1933)
One Franklin Parkway
San Mateo, CA 94403-1906
|
Chairman of
the Board,
Director and
Vice President
|
Chairman of the Board since 1995 and Director
and Vice President since 1994
|
131
|
None
|
|
Principal Occupation During Past 5 Years and
Beyond:
|
Chairman of the Board,
Member—Office of the Chairman and Director, Franklin Resources, Inc.; and
officer and/or director or trustee, as the case may be, of some of the other
subsidiaries of Franklin Resources, Inc. and of 41 of the investment
companies in Franklin Templeton Investments.
|
|
Nominee
for Independent Director to serve until 2011 Annual Meeting of Shareholders:
|
J. Michael Luttig
(1954)
500 East Broward Blvd.
Suite 2100 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33394-3091
|
Director
|
Since December 2009
|
131
|
Boeing Capital Corporation
(aircraft financing).
|
|
Principal Occupation During Past 5 Years and
Beyond:
|
Executive Vice President,
General Counsel and member of Executive Council, The Boeing Company; and
formerly
,
Federal Appeals Court Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
(1991–2006).
|
|
Independent
Directors serving until 2012 Annual Meeting of Shareholders:
|
Ann Torre Bates
(1958)
500 East Broward Blvd.
Suite 2100
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33394-3091
|
Director
|
Since 2008
|
31
|
SLM Corporation (Sallie
Mae), Ares Capital Corporation (specialty finance company) and Allied
Capital Corporation (financial services) (2003–2010).
|
|
Principal Occupation During Past 5 Years and
Beyond:
|
Independent strategic and
financial consultant; and
formerly,
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial
Officer, NHP Incorporated (manager of multifamily housing) (1995–1997); and
Vice President and Treasurer, US Airways, Inc. (until 1995).
|
Name, Year of Birth and Address
|
Position
|
Length of
Time Served
|
Number of
Portfolios in
Franklin
Templeton
Investments
Fund Complex
Overseen
by Director*
|
Other Directorships Held
During the Past Five Years
|
Frank J. Crothers
(1944)
500 East Broward Blvd.
Suite 2100
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33394-3091
|
Director
|
Since 1998
|
23
|
Fortis, Inc. (utility holding company) and AML
Foods Limited (retail distributors).
|
|
Principal Occupation During Past 5 Years and
Beyond:
|
Director and Vice Chairman, Caribbean Utilities Company, Ltd.;
director of various other private business and nonprofit organizations; and
formerly
,
Chairman, Atlantic Equipment and Power Ltd. (1977–2003).
|
David W. Niemiec
(1949)
500 East Broward Blvd.
Suite 2100
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33394-3091
|
Director
|
Since 2005
|
23
|
Emeritus Corporation (assisted living) and OSI
Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (pharmaceutical products) (2001–2010).
|
|
Principal Occupation During Past 5 Years and
Beyond:
|
Advisor, Saratoga Partners (private equity fund); and
formerly,
Managing Director, Saratoga Partners
(1998–2001) and SBC Warburg Dillon Read (investment banking)
(1997–1998); Vice Chairman, Dillon, Read & Co. Inc. (investment
banking) (1991–1997); and Chief Financial Officer, Dillon, Read &
Co. Inc. (1982–1997).
|
|
Interested Director serving until 2012
Annual Meeting of Shareholders:
|
**
Gregory E. Johnson
(1961)
One Franklin Parkway
San Mateo, CA 94403-1906
|
Director
|
Since 2006
|
88
|
None
|
|
Principal Occupation During Past 5 Years and
Beyond:
|
Director, President and
Chief Executive Officer, Franklin Resources, Inc.; and officer and/or
director or trustee, as the case may be, of some of the other subsidiaries
of Franklin Resources, Inc. and of 33 of the investment companies in
Franklin Templeton Investments.
|
|
Independent
Directors serving until 2011 Annual Meeting of Shareholders:
|
Harris J.
Ashton
(1932)
500 East Broward Blvd.
Suite 2100
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33394-3091
|
Director
|
Since 1994
|
131
|
Bar-S
Foods (meat packing company).
|
|
Principal Occupation During Past 5 Years and
Beyond:
|
Director of various
companies; and
formerly
, Director, RBC Holdings, Inc. (bank holding
company) (until 2002); and President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman
of the Board, General Host Corporation (nursery and craft centers) (until
1998).
|
Larry D.
Thompson
(1945)
500 East Broward Blvd.
Suite 2100
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33394-3091
|
Director
|
Since 2005
|
139
|
Cbeyond,
Inc. (business communications provider)
and The Southern Company (energy company).
|
|
Principal Occupation During Past 5 Years and
Beyond:
|
Senior Vice
President—Government Affairs, General Counsel and Secretary, PepsiCo, Inc.
(consumer products); and
formerly
, Director, Delta Airlines (aviation)
(2003–2005) and Providian Financial Corp. (credit card provider)
(1997–2001); Senior Fellow of The Brookings Institution (2003–2004);
Visiting Professor, University of Georgia School of Law (2004); and Deputy
Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice (2001–2003).
|
Constantine D. Tseretopoulos
(1954) 500 East Broward Blvd.
Suite 2100
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33394-3091
|
Director
|
Since 1997
|
23
|
None
|
|
Principal Occupation
During Past 5 Years and Beyond:
|
Physician, Chief of Staff,
owner and operator of the Lyford Cay Hospital (1987–present); director of
various nonprofit organizations; and
formerly
, Cardiology Fellow, University of Maryland (1985–1987) and Internal Medicine Resident, Greater Baltimore Medical Center
(1982–1985).
|
* We base the number of portfolios on each separate series of the U.S. registered investment companies within the Franklin Templeton Investments fund complex. These portfolios have a common investment manager or affiliated investment manager, and also may share a common underwriter.
** Charles B. Johnson and Gregory E. Johnson are interested persons of the Fund as defined by the 1940 Act. The 1940 Act limits the percentage of interested persons that can comprise a funds board of directors. Charles B. Johnson is considered an interested person of the Fund due to his position as an officer, director and major shareholder of Resources, which is the parent company of the Funds investment manager, and his position with the Fund. Gregory E. Johnson is considered an interested person of the Fund due to his position as an officer, director and shareholder of Resources. Charles B. Johnson is the father of Gregory E. Johnson. The remaining Directors of the Fund are Independent Directors.
The following tables provide the dollar range of the equity securities of the Fund and of all U.S. registered funds in the Franklin Templeton Investments fund complex beneficially owned by the Directors as of June 18, 2010:
|
|
|
Independent Directors:
Name of Director
|
Dollar Range
of Equity
Securities in the Fund
(1)
|
Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity
Securities in all Funds in the
Franklin Templeton
Investments Fund Complex
|
Harris J. Ashton...........................................................................................
|
$1$10,000
|
Over $100,000
|
Ann Torre Bates..........................................................................................
|
None
|
Over $100,000
|
Frank J. Crothers.........................................................................................
|
None
|
Over $100,000
|
Edith E. Holiday..........................................................................................
|
$1$10,000
|
Over $100,000
|
J. Michael Luttig..........................................................................................
|
None
|
$1$10,000
|
David W. Niemiec.......................................................................................
|
None
|
Over $100,000
|
Frank A. Olson...........................................................................................
|
None
|
Over $100,000
|
Larry D. Thompson...................................................................................
|
None
|
Over $100,000
|
Constantine D. Tseretopoulos................................................................
|
None
|
Over $100,000
|
Robert E. Wade.........................................................................................
|
None
|
Over $100,000
|
|
|
|
Interested Directors:
Name of Director
|
Dollar Range
of Equity
Securities in the Fund
(1)
|
Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity
Securities in all Funds in the
Franklin Templeton
Investments Fund Complex
|
Charles B. Johnson..................................................................................
|
Over $100,000
|
Over $100,000
|
Gregory E. Johnson..................................................................................
|
None
|
Over $100,000
|
(1)
Dollar range based on NYSE closing price on June 18, 2010.
How often do the Directors meet and what are they paid?
The role of the Directors is to provide general oversight of the Funds business and to ensure that the Fund is operated for the benefit of all of the Funds shareholders. The Directors anticipate meeting at least five times during the current fiscal year to review the operations of the Fund and the Funds investment performance, and will meet more frequently as necessary. The Directors also oversee the services furnished to the Fund by Templeton Asset Management Ltd., the Funds investment manager (the Investment Manager), and various other service providers.
The Funds Independent Directors constitute the sole independent Board members of 14 investment companies in the Franklin Templeton Investments fund complex for which each Independent Director currently is paid a $145,000 annual retainer fee, together with a $7,000 per meeting fee for attendance at each regularly scheduled Board meeting, a portion of which fees are allocated to the Fund. To the extent held, compensation also may be paid for attendance at specially called Board meetings. The Funds Lead Independent Director is paid an annual supplemental retainer of $15,000 for service to such investment companies, a portion of which is allocated to the Fund. Board members who serve on the Audit Committee of the Fund and such other investment companies receive a flat fee of $3,000 per Committee meeting attended in person and $2,000 per telephonic meeting, a portion of which is allocated to the Fund. The Chairman of the Audit Committee of the Fund and such other investment companies receives an additional fee of $15,000 per year, a portion of which is allocated to the Fund. Members of a Committee are not separately compensated for any committee meeting held on the day of a regularly scheduled Board meeting.
During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2010, there were five meetings of the Board, three meetings of the Audit Committee, and three meetings of the Nominating Committee. Each Director then in office attended at least 75% of the aggregate of the total number of meetings of the Board and the total number of meetings held by all committees of the Board on which the Director served. The Fund does not currently have a formal policy regarding Directors attendance at the annual shareholders meeting. No Directors attended the Funds last annual meeting held on August 21, 2009.
Independent Directors are also reimbursed for expenses incurred in connection with Board meetings. The Interested Directors and certain officers of the Fund who are shareholders of Resources are not compensated by the Fund for their services, but may receive indirect remuneration due to their participation in management fees and other fees received by the Investment Manager and its affiliates from the funds in Franklin Templeton Investments. The Investment Manager or its affiliates pay the salaries and expenses of the officers and the Interested Directors. No pension or retirement benefits are accrued as part of Fund expenses.
The table below indicates the total fees paid to the Independent Directors by the Fund individually and by all of the funds in the Franklin Templeton Investments fund complex. These Directors also serve as directors or trustees of other funds in Franklin Templeton Investments, many of which hold meetings at different dates and times. The Directors and the Funds management believe that having the same individuals serving on the boards of many of the funds in Franklin Templeton Investments enhances the ability of each fund to obtain, at a relatively modest cost to each separate fund, the services of high caliber, experienced and knowledgeable Independent Directors who can bring their experience and talents to, and effectively oversee the management of, several funds.
|
|
|
|
Name of Director
|
Aggregate
Compensation
from the Fund
(1)
|
Total Compensation from
Franklin Templeton
Investments Fund Complex
(2)
|
Number of Boards within
Franklin Templeton
Investments Fund Complex
on which Director Serves
(3)
|
Harris J. Ashton..............................................................
|
$ 273
|
$ 468,000
|
41
|
Ann Torre Bates
(4)
.........................................................
|
247
|
355,000
|
16
|
Frank J. Crothers.............................................................
|
240
|
189,000
|
14
|
Edith E. Holiday...............................................................
|
252
|
508,000
|
41
|
J. Michael Luttig
(5)
.........................................................
|
150
|
47,417
|
41
|
David W. Niemiec...........................................................
|
267
|
205,000
|
14
|
Frank A. Olson................................................................
|
235
|
484,000
|
41
|
Larry D. Thompson.......................................................
|
235
|
579,062
|
43
|
Constantine D. Tseretopoulos.....................................
|
240
|
187,000
|
14
|
Robert E. Wade
(4)
..........................................................
|
235
|
511,000
|
18
|
(1)
Compensation received for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2010.
(2)
Compensation received for the 12 months ended December 31, 2009.
(3)
We base the number of boards on the number of U.S. registered investment companies in the Franklin Templeton Investments fund complex. This number does not include the total number of series or funds within each investment company for which the Board members are responsible. Franklin Templeton Investments currently includes 45 U.S. registered investment companies, with approximately 145 U.S. based funds or series.
(4)
Ms. Bates and Mr. Wade also are independent trustees of Franklin Mutual Series Funds and may, in the future, receive payments pursuant to a discontinued retirement plan that generally provides payments to independent board members who have served seven years or longer for such fund.
(5)
Mr. Luttig was appointed to the Board effective December 1, 2009.
Board members historically have followed a policy of having substantial investments in one or more of the funds in Franklin Templeton Investments, as is consistent with their individual financial goals. In February 1998, this policy was formalized through adoption of a requirement that each Board member invest one-third of the fees received for serving as a director or trustee of a Templeton fund (excluding committee fees) in shares of one or more Templeton funds (which may include the Fund) until the value of such investments equals or exceeds five times the annual retainer and regular Board meeting fees paid to such Board member. Investments in the name of family members or entities controlled by a Board member constitute fund holdings of such Board member for purposes of this policy, and a three-year phase-in period applies to such investment requirements for newly elected Board members. In implementing such policy, a Board members fund holdings existing on February 27, 1998, are valued as of such date with subsequent investments valued at cost.
Who are the
Executive Officers of the Fund?
Officers
of the Fund are appointed by the Directors and serve at the pleasure of the
Board. Listed below, for the Executive Officers, are their names, years of
birth and addresses, as well as their positions and length of service with the
Fund, and principal occupations during the past five years.
|
|
|
Name, Year of
Birth and Address
|
Position
|
Length of Time Served
|
Charles B. Johnson
|
Chairman of the Board,
Director
and
Vice President
|
Director and Vice President
since 1994 and Chairman of
the Board
since 1995
|
Please refer
to the table “Nominee for Interested Director to serve until 2013 Annual
Meeting of Shareholders” for additional information about
Mr. Charles B. Johnson.
|
Mark Mobius
(1936)
17th Floor, The Chater House
8 Connaught Road,
Central Hong Kong
|
President and Chief
Executive
Officer—Investment Management
|
President since 1994 and Chief Executive
Officer—Investment Management since 2002
|
|
Principal Occupation During Past 5 Years:
|
Portfolio Manager of
various Templeton advisory affiliates; Managing Director, Templeton Asset
Management Ltd.; and officer and/or director, as the case may be, of some of
the other subsidiaries of Franklin Resources, Inc. and of six of the
investment companies in Franklin Templeton Investments.
|
Laura F. Fergerson
(1962)
One Franklin Parkway
San Mateo, CA 94403-3091
|
Chief Executive Officer—Finance and Administration
|
Since 2009
|
|
|
|
Principal Occupation During Past 5 Years:
|
|
|
Senior Vice President,
Franklin Templeton Services, LLC; officer of 45 of the investment companies
in Franklin Templeton Investments; and
formerly
, Director and member of Audit and Valuation
Committees, Runkel Funds, Inc. (2003–2004); Assistant Treasurer of most of
the investment companies in Franklin Templeton Investments (1997–2003); and
Vice President, Franklin Templeton Services, LLC (1997–2003).
|
James M. Davis
(1952)
One Franklin Parkway
San Mateo, CA 94403-1906
|
Chief Compliance Officer and Vice
President—AML Compliance
|
Chief Compliance Officer since 2004
and Vice President–AML Compliance since 2006
|
|
Principal Occupation During Past 5 Years and Beyond:
|
Director, Global
Compliance, Franklin Resources, Inc.; officer of some of the other
subsidiaries of Franklin Resources, Inc. and of 45 of the investment
companies in Franklin Templeton Investments; and
formerly
,
Director of Compliance, Franklin Resources, Inc. (1994–2001).
|
Mark H. Otani
(1968)
One Franklin Parkway
San Mateo, CA 94403-3091
|
Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer
and Treasurer
|
Since 2009
|
|
Principal Occupation During Past 5 Years:
|
Director, Global Fund
Accounting Operations, Franklin Templeton Investments; and officer of 14 of
the investment companies in Franklin Templeton Investments.
|
Rupert H. Johnson, Jr.
(1940)
One Franklin Parkway
San Mateo, CA 94403-1906
|
Vice President
|
Since 1996
|
|
|
|
Principal Occupation During Past 5 Years:
|
|
|
Vice Chairman,
Member—Office of the Chairman and Director, Franklin Resources, Inc.; Director,
Franklin Advisers, Inc.; Senior Vice President, Franklin Advisory Services,
LLC; and officer and/or director or trustee, as the case may be, of some of
the other subsidiaries of Franklin Resources, Inc. and of 25 of the
investment companies in Franklin Templeton Investments.
|
Robert C. Rosselot
(1960)
500 East Broward Blvd.
Suite 2100
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33394-3091
|
Vice President and Secretary
|
Vice President since 2009
and Secretary since 2004
|
|
Principal Occupation During Past 5 Years:
|
Senior Associate General
Counsel, Franklin Templeton Investments; Assistant Secretary, Franklin
Resources, Inc.; Vice President and Secretary, Templeton Investment Counsel,
LLC; Vice President, Secretary and Trust Officer, Fiduciary Trust
International of the South; and officer of 45 of the investment companies in
Franklin Templeton Investments.
|
|
|
|
Name, Year of
Birth and Address
|
Position
|
Length of Time Served
|
Craig S. Tyle
(1960)
One Franklin Parkway
San Mateo, CA 94403-1906
|
Vice President and Assistant Secretary
|
Since 2005
|
|
Principal Occupation During Past 5 Years:
|
General Counsel and
Executive Vice President, Franklin Resources, Inc.; officer of some of the
other subsidiaries of Franklin Resources, Inc. and of 45 of the investment
companies in Franklin Templeton Investments; and
formerly
,
Partner, Shearman & Sterling, LLP (2004–2005); and General Counsel,
Investment Company Institute (ICI) (1997–2004).
|
Aliya S. Gordon
(1973)
One Franklin Parkway
San Mateo, CA 94403-1906
|
Vice President and Assistant Secretary
|
Since 2009
|
|
Principal Occupation During Past 5 Years:
|
Associate General Counsel,
Franklin Templeton Investments; officer of 45 of the investment companies in
Franklin Templeton Investments; and
formerly
, Litigation Associate, Steefel, Levitt &
Weiss, LLP (2000–2004).
|
David P. Goss
(1947)
One Franklin Parkway
San Mateo, CA 94403-1906
|
Vice President and Assistant Secretary
|
Since 2000
|
|
Principal Occupation During Past 5 Years:
|
Senior Associate General
Counsel, Franklin Templeton Investments; officer and/or director, as the case
maybe, of some of the other subsidiaries of Franklin Resources, Inc. and of
45 of the investment companies in Franklin Templeton Investments.
|
Steven J. Gray
(1955)
One Franklin Parkway
San Mateo, CA 94403-1906
|
Vice President and Assistant Secretary
|
Since 2009
|
|
Principal Occupation During Past 5 Years:
|
Senior Associate General
Counsel, Franklin Templeton Investments; Vice President, Franklin Templeton
Distributors, Inc.; and officer of 45 of the investment companies in Franklin
Templeton Investments.
|
Karen L. Skidmore
(1952)
One Franklin Parkway
San Mateo, CA 94403-1906
|
Vice President and Assistant Secretary
|
Since 2009
|
|
Principal Occupation During Past 5 Years:
|
Senior Associate General Counsel,
Franklin Templeton Investments; and officer of 45 of the investment companies
in Franklin Templeton Investments.
|
¿
PROPOSAL
2: RATIFICATION OF THE SELECTION OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
How are independent auditors selected?
The
Board has a standing Audit Committee currently comprised of David W. Niemiec
(Chairman), Ann Torre Bates, Frank J. Crothers and Constantine D.
Tseretopoulos, all of whom are Independent Directors and considered to be
“independent” as that term is defined by the NYSE’s listing standards. The
Audit Committee is responsible for the appointment, compensation and retention
of the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm (“independent
auditors”), including evaluating their independence, recommending the selection
of the Fund’s independent auditors to the full Board, and meeting with such
independent auditors to consider and review matters relating to the Fund’s
financial reports and internal auditing.
Which independent auditors did the Board select?
The
Audit Committee and the Board have selected the firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm of the Fund for the
current fiscal year. PwC has examined and reported on the fiscal year-end
financial statements dated March 31, 2010, and certain related U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission filings. You are being asked to ratify the Board’s
selection of PwC for the current fiscal year. Services to be performed by the
independent auditors include examining and reporting on the fiscal year-end
financial statements of the Fund and certain related filings with the SEC.
The
selection of PwC as the independent registered public accounting firm of the
Fund for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2011 was recommended by the
Audit Committee and approved by the Board on May 18, 2010. PwC’s reports
on the financial statements of the Fund for the fiscal years for which it has
served as auditors did not contain an adverse opinion or a disclaimer of
opinion, nor were qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope or
accounting principles.
The Audit Committee and the Board have been advised by
PwC that neither the firm of PwC nor any of its members have any material
direct or indirect financial interest in the Fund. Representatives of PwC are
not expected to be present at the Meeting, but will have the opportunity to
make a statement if they wish, and will be available should any matter arise
requiring their presence.
¿
AUDITOR INFORMATION
Audit
Fees.
The
aggregate fees paid to PwC for professional services rendered by PwC for the
audit of the Fund’s annual financial statements or for services that are
normally provided by PwC in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or
engagements were $40,830 for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2010 and
$41,215 for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009.
Audit-Related
Fees.
For
the fiscal years ended March 31, 2010 and March 31, 2009, there were
no fees paid to PwC by the Fund for assurance and related services rendered by
PwC to the Fund that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or
review of the Fund’s financial statements and not reported under “Audit Fees”
above.
In
addition, the Audit Committee pre-approves PwC’s engagement for audit-related
services to be provided to the Investment Manager and certain entities
controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Investment Manager
that provide ongoing services to the Fund, which engagements relate directly to
the operations and financial reporting of the Fund. For the fiscal years ended
March 31, 2010 and March 31, 2009 there were no fees paid to PwC for
such services.
Tax
Fees.
There
were no fees paid to PwC for professional services rendered by PwC for tax
compliance, tax advice and tax planning (“tax services”) for the fiscal years
ended March 31, 2010 and 2009.
In addition, the Audit Committee pre-approves PwC’s
engagement for tax services to be provided to the Investment Manager and
certain entities controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the
Investment Manager that provide ongoing services to the Fund, which engagements
relate directly to the operations and financial reporting of the Fund. The fees
for these services were $2,762 for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2010
and $4,000 for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009. The services for
which these fees were paid included tax compliance and advice.
All
Other Fees.
The
aggregate fees paid for products and services provided by PwC to the Fund,
other than the services reported above, were $0 for the fiscal year ended
March 31, 2010 and $248 for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009. The
services for which these fees were paid included review of materials provided
to the Board in connection with the investment management contract renewal
process.
In
addition, the Audit Committee pre-approves PwC’s engagement for other services
to be provided to the Investment Manager and certain entities controlling,
controlled by, or under common control with the Investment Manager that provide
ongoing services to the Fund, which engagements relate directly to the
operations and financial reporting of the Fund. The aggregate fees paid to PwC
for such other services and not reported above were $0 for the fiscal year
ended March 31, 2010 and $283,829 for the fiscal year ended March 31,
2009. The services for which these fees were paid included review of materials
provided to the Board in connection with the investment management contract
renewal process.
Aggregate
Non-Audit Fees.
The
aggregate fees paid to PwC for non-audit services provided by PwC to the Fund,
to the Investment Manager or to any entity controlling, controlled by, or under
common control with the Investment Manager that provide ongoing services to the
Fund were $2,762 for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2010 and $288,077 for
the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009. The aggregate non-audit fees include
the amounts shown under
Tax Fees
and
All
Other Fees
above for the Fund’s
fiscal years ended March 31, 2010 and March 31, 2009, respectively.
The
Audit Committee has determined that the provision of the non-audit services
that were rendered to the Investment Manager and to any entities controlling,
controlled by, or under common control with the Investment Manager that provide
ongoing services to the Fund is compatible with maintaining PwC’s independence.
Audit
Committee Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures.
As
of the date of this proxy statement, the Audit Committee has not adopted
written pre-approval policies and procedures. As a result, all such services
described above and provided by PwC must be directly pre-approved by the Audit
Committee.
Audit
Committee Charter.
The
Board has adopted and approved a formal written charter for the Audit Committee
which sets forth the Audit Committee’s responsibilities. A copy of the charter
was included in the Fund’s proxy statement for its 2008 Annual Meeting of
Shareholders.
As
required by the charter, the Audit Committee reviewed the Fund’s audited
financial statements and met with management, as well as with PwC, the Fund’s
auditors, to discuss the financial statements.
Audit Committee Report.
The Audit Committee received the written disclosures
and the letter from PwC required by the applicable requirements of the Public
Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding PwC’s communications with the
Audit Committee concerning independence. The Audit Committee also received the
report of PwC regarding the results of their audit. In connection with the
Audit Committee’s review of the financial statements and PwC’s report, the
members of the Audit Committee discussed with a representative of PwC, PwC’s
independence, as well as the following: PwC’s responsibilities in accordance
with generally accepted auditing standards; PwC’s responsibilities for
information prepared by management that accompanies the Fund’s audited
financial statements and any procedures performed and the results; the initial
selection of, and whether there were any changes in, significant accounting
policies or their application; management’s judgments and accounting estimates;
whether there were any significant audit adjustments; whether there were any
disagreements with management; whether there was any consultation with other
accountants; whether there were any major issues discussed with management
prior to PwC’s retention; whether the auditors encountered any difficulties in
dealing with management in performing the audit; and PwC’s judgments about the
quality of the Fund’s accounting principles.
Based
on its review and discussions with management and PwC, the Audit Committee did
not become aware of any material misstatements or omissions in the financial
statements. Accordingly, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board that the
audited financial statements be included in the Fund’s Annual Report to
Shareholders for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2010 for filing with the
SEC.
AUDIT COMMITTEE
David
W. Niemiec (Chairman)
Ann
Torre Bates
Frank
J. Crothers
Constantine
D. Tseretopoulos
¿
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE
FUND’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Board
Role in Risk Oversight.
The
Board, as a whole, considers risk management issues as part of its general
oversight responsibilities throughout the year at regular Board meetings, through
regular reports that have been developed by management, in consultation with
the Board and its counsel. These reports address certain investment, valuation
and compliance matters. The Board also may receive special written reports or
presentations on a variety of risk issues, either upon the Board’s request or
upon the Investment Manager’s initiative. In addition, the Audit Committee of
the Board meets regularly with the Investment Manager’s internal audit group to
review reports on their examinations of functions and processes within Franklin
Templeton Investments that affect the Fund.
With
respect to investment risk, the Board receives regular written reports
describing and analyzing the investment performance of the Fund. In addition,
the portfolio managers of the Fund meet regularly with the Board to discuss
portfolio performance, including investment risk. To the extent that the Fund
changes a particular investment strategy that could have a material impact on
the Fund’s risk profile, the Board generally is consulted with respect to such
change. To the extent that the Fund invests in certain complex securities,
including derivatives, the Board receives periodic reports containing
information about exposure of the Fund to such instruments. In addition, the
Investment Manager’s investment risk personnel meet regularly with the Board to
discuss a variety of issues, including the impact on the Fund of the investment
in particular securities or instruments, such as derivatives.
With
respect to valuation, the Fund’s administrator provides regular written reports
to the Board that enable the Board to monitor the number of fair valued
securities in a particular portfolio, the reasons for the fair valuation and
the methodology used to arrive at the fair value. Such reports also include
information concerning illiquid securities within a Fund’s portfolio. The Board
also reviews dispositional analysis information on the sale of securities that
require special valuation considerations such as illiquid or fair valued
securities. In addition, the Fund’s Audit Committee reviews valuation
procedures and results with the Fund’s independent auditors in connection with
such Committee’s review of the results of the audit of the Fund’s year end
financial statements.
With
respect to compliance risks, the Board receives regular compliance reports
prepared by the Investment Manager’s compliance group and meets regularly with
the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) to discuss compliance issues,
including compliance risks. As required under SEC rules, the Independent
Directors meet at least quarterly in executive session with the CCO and the
Fund’s CCO prepares and presents an annual written compliance report to the
Board. The Fund’s Board adopts compliance policies and procedures for the Fund
and approves such procedures for the Fund’s service providers. The compliance
policies and procedures are specifically designed to detect and prevent
violations of the federal securities laws
The
Investment Manager periodically provides an enterprise risk management
presentation to the Board to describe the way in which risk is managed on a
complex-wide level. Such presentation covers such areas as investment risk,
reputational risk, personnel risk, and business continuity risk.
Board Structure.
Seventy-five percent or more of Board members
consist of Independent Directors who are not deemed to be “interested persons”
by reason of their relationship with the Fund’s Management or otherwise as
provided under the 1940 Act. While the Chairman of the Board is an interested
person, the Board is also served by a Lead Independent Director. The Lead
Independent Director, together with independent counsel, reviews proposed
agendas for Board meetings and generally acts as a liaison with Management with
respect to questions and issues raised by the Independent Directors. The Lead
Independent Director also presides at separate meetings of Independent
Directors held in advance of each scheduled Board meeting where various
matters, including those being considered at such Board meeting, are discussed.
It is believed such structure and activities assure that proper consideration
is given at Board meetings to matters deemed important to the Fund and its
shareholders.
¿
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE
FUND
The
Investment Manager.
The
Investment Manager of the Fund is Templeton Asset Management Ltd., a Singapore company with an office at 7 Temasek Blvd., Suntec Tower One, #38-03, Singapore 03987. Pursuant to an investment management agreement, the Investment Manager
manages the investment and reinvestment of Fund assets. The Investment Manager
is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Resources.
The
Administrator.
The
administrator of the Fund is Franklin Templeton Services, LLC (“FT Services”),
with offices at 500 East Broward Boulevard, Suite 2100, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33394-3091. FT Services is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Resources and an
affiliate of the Investment Manager. Pursuant to an administration agreement,
FT Services performs certain administrative functions for the Fund.
The
Transfer Agent.
The
transfer agent, registrar and dividend disbursement agent for the Fund is BNY
Mellon Shareowner Services, P.O. Box 358015, Pittsburgh, PA 15252-8015.
The
Custodian.
The
custodian for the Fund is JPMorgan Chase Bank, MetroTech Center, Brooklyn, New York 11245.
Other Matters.
The Fund’s last audited financial statements
and annual report for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2010, are available
free of charge. To obtain a copy, please call (800) DIAL BEN
®
(800)
342-5236 or forward a written request to Franklin Templeton Investor Services,
LLC, P.O. Box 33030, St. Petersburg, Florida 33733-8030.
Principal
Shareholders.
As
of June 18, 2010, the Fund had 5,745,174 shares outstanding and total net
assets of $105,899,720.08. The Fund’s shares are listed on the NYSE (NYSE:
TRF). From time to time, the number of shares held in “street name” accounts of
various securities dealers for the benefit of their clients may exceed 5% of
the total shares outstanding. To the knowledge of the Fund’s management, as of
June 18, 2010, there were no other entities holding beneficially or of
record more than 5% of the Fund’s outstanding shares.
In
addition, to the knowledge of the Fund’s management, as of June 18, 2010,
no nominee or Director of the Fund owned 1% or more of the outstanding shares
of the Fund, and the Directors and officers of the Fund owned, as a group, less
than 1% of the outstanding shares of the Fund.
Contacting
the Board of Directors.
If
a shareholder wishes to send a communication to the Board, such correspondence
should be in writing and addressed to the Board of Directors at the Fund’s
offices, 500 East Broward Boulevard, Suite 2100, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33394-3091, Attention: Secretary. The correspondence will be given to the Board for
review and consideration.
¿
FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT VOTING
AND THE MEETING
Solicitation
of Proxies.
Your
vote is being solicited by the Directors. The cost of soliciting proxies,
including the fees of a proxy soliciting agent, is borne by the Fund. The Fund
reimburses brokerage firms and others for their expenses in forwarding proxy
material to the beneficial owners and soliciting them to execute proxies. In
addition, the Fund may retain a professional proxy solicitation firm to assist
with any necessary solicitation of proxies. The Fund expects that the
solicitation would be primarily by mail, but may also include telephone,
facsimile, electronic or other means of communication. If the Fund does not
receive your proxy by a certain time, you may receive a telephone call from a
proxy soliciting agent asking you to vote. If professional proxy solicitors are
retained, it is expected that soliciting fees would be approximately $5,000,
plus expenses. The Fund does not reimburse Directors and officers of the Fund,
or regular employees and agents of the Investment Manager involved in the
solicitation of proxies. The Fund intends to pay all costs associated with the
solicitation and the Meeting.
Voting
by Broker-Dealers.
The
Fund expects that, before the Meeting, broker-dealer firms holding shares of
the Fund in “street name” for their customers will request voting instructions
from their customers and beneficial owners. If these instructions are not
received by the date specified in the broker-dealer firms’ proxy solicitation
materials, the Fund understands that current NYSE Rules permit the broker-dealers
to vote on the Proposals on behalf of their customers and beneficial owners.
Certain broker-dealers may exercise discretion over shares held in their name
for which no instructions are received by voting these shares in the same
proportion as they vote shares for which they received instructions.
Quorum.
A majority of
the Fund’s shares entitled to vote—present in person or represented by
proxy—constitutes a quorum at the Meeting. The shares over which broker-dealers
have discretionary voting power, the shares that represent “broker non-votes”
(i.e., shares held by brokers or nominees as to which (i) instructions
have not been received from the beneficial owners or persons entitled to vote
and (ii) the broker or nominee does not have discretionary voting power on
a particular matter), and the shares whose proxies reflect an abstention on any
item will all be counted as shares present and entitled to vote for purposes of
determining whether the required quorum of shares exists.
Method of Tabulation.
Provided a quorum is present
or represented at the Meeting, Proposal 1, the election of Directors, requires
the affirmative vote of a plurality of the votes cast of the holders of the
shares present in person or represented by proxy at the Meeting. Proposal 2,
ratification of the selection of the independent auditors, requires the
affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast at the meeting at which a
quorum is present. Abstentions and broker non-votes will be treated as votes
present at the Meeting, but will not be treated as votes cast and, therefore,
will not be counted for purposes of obtaining approval of each proposal.
Adjournment.
The
holders of a majority of shares entitled to vote at the Meeting and present in
person or by proxy, whether or not sufficient to constitute a quorum, or any
officer present entitled to preside or act as Secretary of the Meeting may
adjourn the Meeting. Such authority to adjourn the Meeting may be used in the
event that a quorum is not present at the Meeting or in the event that a quorum
is present but sufficient votes have not been received to approve the Proposal
or to permit further solicitation of proxies or for any other reason consistent
with Maryland law and the Fund’s Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws. Unless
otherwise instructed by a shareholder granting a proxy, the persons designated
as proxies may use their discretionary authority to vote as instructed by
management of the Fund on questions of adjournment and on any other proposals
raised at the Meeting to the extent permitted by the SEC’s proxy rules,
including proposals for which management of the Fund did not have timely
notice, as set forth in the SEC’s proxy rules and the Fund’s proxy statement
for the 2009 annual meeting.
Shareholder
Proposals.
The
Fund anticipates that its 2011 Annual Meeting of Shareholders will be held on
or about August 19, 2011. A shareholder who wishes to submit a proposal
for consideration for inclusion in the Fund’s proxy statement for the 2011
Annual Meeting of Shareholders must send such written proposal to the Fund’s
offices, at 500 East Broward Boulevard, Suite 2100, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
33394-3091, Attention: Secretary, so that it is received no later than
March 11, 2011 in order to be included in the Fund’s proxy statement and
proxy card relating to that meeting and presented at the meeting.
A
shareholder of the Fund who has not submitted a written proposal for inclusion
in the Fund’s proxy statement by March 11, 2011, as described above, may
nonetheless present a proposal at the Fund’s 2011 Annual Meeting of
Shareholders if such shareholder notifies the Fund in writing, at the Fund’s
offices, of such proposal by May 25, 2011. If a shareholder fails to give
notice by this date, then the persons designated as proxies for the 2011 Annual
Meeting of Shareholders may exercise discretionary voting power with respect to
any such proposal.
A
shareholder proposal may be presented at the 2011 Annual Meeting of
Shareholders only if such proposal concerns a matter that may be properly
brought before the meeting under applicable federal proxy rules and state law.
Submission
of a proposal by a shareholder does not guarantee that the proposal will be
included in the Fund’s proxy statement or presented at the meeting.
By Order of the Board of Directors,
Robert
C. Rosselot
Vice
President and Secretary
July 9, 2010
IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS
FOR THE SHAREHOLDER
MEETING TO BE HELD ON AUGUST 27, 2010
The Fund’s Notice of
Annual Meeting of Shareholders, Proxy Statement and Proxy are available on the
Internet at http://www.proxyonline.com/FranklinTempleton.
76122
q
FOLD AND DETACH
HERE
q
|
Please mark your votes as indicated in this example
|
x
|
The Board of Directors unanimously recommends a vote FOR the Proposals.
|
|
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Proposal 1 – Election of Directors.
|
FOR
all nominees listed (except as marked
below)
|
WITHHOLD AUTHORITY
to vote for all
nominees listed
|
Nominees:
|
|
|
01 Edith E. Holiday
02 Frank A. Olson
03 Robert E. Wade
04 Charles B. Johnson
05 J. Michael Luttig
|
|
|
To withhold authority to vote for any
individual nominee, write that nominee’s name on the line below.
|
|
Proposal
2 – Ratification of the selection of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the independent
registered public accounting firm of the Fund for the fiscal year ending March
31, 2011.
|
FOR
|
AGAINST
|
ABSTAIN
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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YES
|
|
NO
|
I PLAN TO ATTEND THE MEETING
|
|
|
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|
|
|
|
Mark Here for Address Change or
Comments
|
|
Signature(s):
|
|
|
Dated:
|
|
,2010
|
Please sign exactly as your name appears
on this Proxy. If signing for estates, trusts or corporations, title or capacity
should be stated.
You
can now access your Templeton Russia and East European Fund, Inc. account
online.
Access your Fund account online via
Investor ServiceDirect
®
(ISD).
The transfer agent for the Fund now
makes it easy and convenient to get current information on your shareholder
account.
•
|
View account status
|
•
|
Make address changes
|
|
|
•
|
View certificate history
|
•
|
Obtain a duplicate 1099 tax form
|
|
•
|
View book-entry information
|
•
|
Establish/change your PIN
|
|
•
|
View payment history for dividends
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
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Visit us on the web at
http://www.bnymellon.com/shareowner/isd
For Technical Assistance Call
1-877-978-7778 between 9am-7pm
Monday-Friday Eastern Time
www.bnymellon.com/shareowner/isd
Investor
ServiceDirect
®
Available 24 hours per
day, 7 days per week
TOLL FREE NUMBER: 1-800-370-1163
q
FOLD AND DETACH
HERE
q
TEMPLETON RUSSIA AND EAST EUROPEAN
FUND, INC.
ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS –
AUGUST 27, 2010
The undersigned hereby revokes all
previous proxies for his/her shares of Templeton Russia and East European Fund,
Inc. (the “Fund”) and appoints KIMBERLY H. NOVOTNY, ROBERT C. ROSSELOT and LORI
A. WEBER, and each of them, proxies of the undersigned with full power of
substitution to vote all shares of the Fund that the undersigned is entitled to
vote at the Fund's Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the “Meeting”) to be held at
500 East Broward Boulevard, 12th Floor, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33394 at 12
Noon, Eastern time, on August 27, 2010, including any postponements or
adjournments thereof, upon the matters set forth below and instructs them to
vote upon any other matters that may properly be acted upon at the Meeting,
including any matters presented for which the Fund was not given timely notice.
This Proxy is solicited on behalf of
the Board of Directors. It will be voted as specified. If no specification is
made, this Proxy shall be voted FOR Proposal 1 (including all nominees for
director) and Proposal 2. If any other matters properly come before the Meeting
to be voted on, the proxy holders will vote, act and consent on those matters
in accordance with the views of management.
BNY MELLON
SHAREOWNER SERVICES
P.O. BOX 3550
SOUTH HACKENSACK, NJ 07606-9250
(Continued and to be signed on the
other side)
76122
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