ATLANTA, March 31, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Premier Exhibitions, Inc. (Nasdaq:PRXI) recently announced the appointment of Bob Sirmans as its Vice President of Business Development and Strategy, Matthew Ringel as its Vice President of Sales and Strategic Partnerships and Bud Ingalls as its Chief Financial Officer.
Commented Bruce Eskowitz, Premier Exhibitions' President and Chief Executive Officer, "We believe that we now have a management team in place to achieve the Company's strategic objectives. We have a highly talented and experienced team in charge of our day-to day operations that I believe will allow us to achieve the full potential of our Titanic and BODIES exhibitions, our recently announced Sports Immortals(r) and Dialogue in the Dark exhibitions, and other exhibitions as we continue to expand our core business. The Company's management team is also poised to capitalize on the potential of our recently announced lease agreement with the Luxor Resort and Casino in Las Vegas."
When they were brought on with the Company, and in order to further incentivize them to grow the Company's business and help maximize shareholder value, Premier provided the new members of its management team, as well as its recently appointed Directors James Yaffe and Jonathan F. Miller, with inducement equity incentive awards, as summarized below. Premier believes that providing equity incentive awards helps to properly align the interests of its management with the interests of its stockholders by providing management with an appropriate equity interest in the Company.
Mr. Sirmans received options to purchase 40,000 shares of stock at an exercise price of $4.78 per share and 70,000 shares of restricted stock. Mr. Ringel received options to purchase 25,000 shares of stock at an exercise price equal $6.22 per share and 30,000 shares of restricted stock. Messrs. Sirmans' and Ringel's awards vest over three years.
The Company's inducement equity incentive awards to Messrs. Eskowitz, Ingalls, Yaffe and Miller are described in Form 8-Ks filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 4 and September 7, 2007 and February 21, 2008, respectively and are summarized as follows: Mr. Eskowitz - options to purchase 625,000 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price of $15.82 per share and 625,000 shares of restricted stock, which awards vest over five years; Mr. Ingalls - options to purchase 45,000 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price of $4.93 per share and 75,000 shares of restricted stock, which awards vest over three years; and each of Messrs. Yaffe and Miller - options to purchase 200,000 shares of the Common Stock at an exercise price of $15.82 per share, vesting over five years, and 25,000 shares of Common Stock.
All option and restricted awards were made at the Common Stock closing price on the day each respective award was made by the Compensation Committee.
Premier Exhibitions, Inc. is a major provider of museum quality touring exhibitions throughout the world.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain of the statements contained in this press release contain forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements are within the meaning of that term in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Premier Exhibitions, Inc. has based these forward-looking statements on its current expectations and projections about future events and on currently available information. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release may also include, among other things, statements relating to Premier Exhibitions, Inc.'s anticipated financial performance, business prospects, business developments, strategies and similar matters. Certain of the factors described in Premier Exhibitions, Inc.'s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the section of its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended February 28, 2007 entitled "Risk Factors", may affect the future results of Premier Exhibitions, Inc. and cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. Premier Exhibitions, Inc. disclaims any obligation to update any of its forward-looking statements, except as may be required by law.