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): May 14, 2020

Whitestone REIT
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

Maryland
 
001-34855
 
76-0594970
 
 
 
 
 
(State or Other Jurisdiction
 of incorporation)
 
(Commission
 File Number)
 
(IRS Employer
 Identification No.)

2600 South Gessner, Suite 500
 
 
Houston, TX
 
77063
 
 
 
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
 
(Zip Code)

(713) 827-9595
 
(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

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))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class
Trading symbol(s)
Name of each exchange on which registered
Common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.001 per share
WSR
New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
 
Emerging growth company o
 
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. o







Item 5.07. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.
 
Whitestone REIT (the “Company”) held its annual meeting of shareholders (the “Annual Meeting”) on May 14, 2020. At the Annual Meeting, the Company’s shareholders voted on each of the proposals presented, which are described in more detail in the Company’s Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 3, 2020 (the “Proxy Statement’). Holders of 35,749,339 common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company were present in person (virtually) or represented by proxy at the Annual Meeting.

Proposal 1: Election of Trustee
 
Jeffrey A. Jones was elected to serve on the Board until the 2021 annual meeting of shareholders and until his successor is duly elected and qualified, based on the following votes:

Nominee
Votes For
Votes Withheld
Broker Non-Votes
Jeffrey A. Jones
24,467,465
675,804
10,606,070

Proposal 2: Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation
 
An advisory resolution to approve executive compensation, as described in the Proxy Statement, was approved, based on the following votes:

Votes For
Votes Against
Abstentions
Broker Non-Votes
17,470,424
7,419,793
253,052
10,606,070
 

Proposal 3: Ratification of the Appointment of the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
 
The proposal to ratify the appointment of Pannell Kerr Forster of Texas, P.C. as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2020 was approved, based on the following votes:

Votes For
Votes Against
Abstentions
34,745,352
671,952
332,035







SIGNATURE

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.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Whitestone REIT  
Date: May 20, 2020
 
By:  
/s/ David K. Holeman 
 
 
 
David K. Holeman 
 
 
 
Chief Financial Officer