Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors;
Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
On October 27, 2009, the Board of Directors (the "Board") of HFF, Inc. (the
"Company") elected Susan P. McGalla as a Class III director of the Board. In
addition, Ms. McGalla was named to the Audit Committee and the Nominating and
Corporate Governance Committee of the Board. Furthermore, on October 27, 2009,
the Board re-elected Mark D. Gibson as a Class II director of the Board. Mr.
Gibson had previously served on the Board from the Company's inception in
November 2006 to May 2009, when Mr. Gibson voluntarily agreed to resign from his
position as a Class II director so as to reduce the number of directors on the
Board to seven and insure that the Company remained in compliance with the
independent director listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange at such
time. A copy of the press release of the Company announcing Ms. McGalla's and
Mr. Gibson's elections is attached as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by
reference.
The Board has determined that Ms. McGalla is independent under the New York
Stock Exchange listing standards. There is no arrangement or understanding
between Ms. McGalla and any other person pursuant to which Ms. McGalla was
elected as a director, and there are no related party transactions involving
Ms. McGalla that are reportable under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.
Ms. McGalla will receive compensation for her service as a nonemployee director
pursuant to the Company's director compensation policy for nonemployee
directors. Under this policy, each outside director is paid a base annual
retainer of $50,000 and receives an annual grant of restricted stock units based
on the Company's Class A common stock with a market value of $40,000 on the
grant date. In addition, each newly-elected outside director receives an initial
election grant of options to purchase shares of our Class A common stock with a
Black-Scholes (or similar valuation method) value of $30,000, which will vest
annually over three years. In accordance with this policy, on October 28, 2009
Ms. McGalla was granted (i) options to purchase 7,335 shares of the Company's
Class A common stock at a per share exercise price of $6.13 (the last reported
sale price of the Company's Class A common stock on October 28, 2009 on the New
York Stock Exchange), which vest annually over three years, pursuant to the
terms and conditions of the Company's 2006 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan
and (ii) restricted stock units with a fair market value of $7,233, representing
a pro rated portion of the annual grant of restricted stock units made to
outside directors of Class A common stock for 2009 with a market value of
$40,000.
Mr. Gibson has held the positions of Executive Managing Director and member of
the operating committee of HFF Holdings LLC ("HFF Holdings") since 2003. For a
description of the Company's arrangements with HFF Holdings, see the discussion
under the heading "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions" in the
Company's proxy statement on Schedule 14A filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on April 30, 2009. Because of Mr. Gibson's capacity as an employee
director, the Board has determined that Mr. Gibson is not independent under the
New York Stock Exchange listing standards. Mr. Gibson will receive no director
compensation in accordance with the Company's policy not to pay director
compensation to employee directors.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits
99.1 Press Release, dated October 29, 2009, announcing the elections of Susan
P. McGalla and Mark D. Gibson to the Board of Directors of HFF, Inc.
Signature
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
HFF, INC.
Dated: October 29, 2009 By: /s/ Gregory R. Conley
Gregory R. Conley
Chief Financial Officer