Gabelli Healthcare & WellnessRx Trust DEF 14A, filed Apr 5, 2023
Gabelli Healthcare & WellnessRx Trust (GRX)
About this DEF 14A
Gabelli Healthcare & WellnessRx Trust filed this DEF 14A on April 5, 2023.
INFORMATION
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 Pursuant to Sec. 240.14a-12 |
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THE GABELLI HEALTHCARE & WELLNESSRx TRUST
One Corporate Center
Rye, New York 10580-1422
(914) 921-5070
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
To Be Held on May 22, 2023
To the Shareholders of
THE GABELLI HEALTHCARE & WELLNESSRx TRUST
Notice is hereby given that the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of The Gabelli Healthcare & WellnessRx Trust, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Fund”), will be held on Monday, May 22, 2023, at 9:45 a.m., ET, at Indian Harbor Yacht Club, 710 Steamboat Road, Greenwich, Connecticut, 06830 and virtually by Internet webcast (the “Meeting”), and at any adjournments or postponements thereof for the following purposes:
| 1. | To elect four (4), Trustees of the Fund, three (3) Trustees to be elected by the holders of the Fund’s common shares and holders of its 4.00% Series E Cumulative Preferred Shares and 5.20% Series G Cumulative Preferred Shares (together, “Preferred Shares”), voting together as a single class, and one (1) Trustee to be elected by the holders of the Fund’s Preferred Shares, voting as a separate class; and |
| 2. | To consider and vote upon such other matters, including adjournments, as may properly come before said Meeting or any adjournments thereof. |
These items are discussed in greater detail in the attached Proxy Statement.
We are conducting a “hybrid” meeting - you may attend in person or virtually. Whether or not you plan to attend the Meeting in person, shareholders must register in advance by submitting the required information to the Fund at: http://Gabelli.com/CEFAnnualMeeting. Following registration, a shareholder will be provided with instructions regarding how to access the virtual Meeting, including the link for the Meeting.
Requests for registration must be received no later than 5:00 p.m., ET, on May 21, 2023. Shareholders will receive an email confirming their registration and providing instructions for participating in the Meeting. Any questions should be directed to CEFProxy@gabelli.com.
The close of business on March 28, 2023, has been fixed as the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote at the Meeting and any adjournments or postponements thereof.
YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT REGARDLESS OF THE SIZE OF YOUR HOLDINGS IN THE FUND. WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO VOTE YOUR PROXY IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING, EVEN IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND THE MEETING. SHAREHOLDERS MAY AUTHORIZE THEIR PROXY BY TELEPHONE OR THE INTERNET. ALTERNATIVELY, SHAREHOLDERS MAY SUBMIT VOTING INSTRUCTIONS BY SIGNING AND DATING THE PROXY CARD AND RETURNING IT IN THE ACCOMPANYING POSTAGE-PAID ENVELOPE.
| By Order of the Board of Trustees, | |
| PETER GOLDSTEIN Secretary |
April 12, 2023
INSTRUCTIONS FOR SIGNING PROXY CARDS TO BE RETURNED BY MAIL
The following general rules for signing proxy cards may be of assistance to you and avoid the time and expense to the Fund involved in validating your vote if you fail to properly sign your proxy card.
| 1. | Individual Accounts: Sign your name exactly as it appears in the registration on the proxy card. |
| 2. | Joint Accounts: Either party may sign, but the name of the party signing should conform exactly to the name shown in the registration. |
| 3. | All Other Accounts: The capacity of the individuals signing the proxy card should be indicated unless it is reflected in the form of registration. For example: |
| Registration | Valid Signature | |
| Corporate Accounts | ||
| (1) | ABC Corp. | ABC Corp., John Doe, Treasurer |
| (2) | ABC Corp. | John Doe, Treasurer |
| (3) | ABC Corp. | |
| c/o John Doe, Treasurer | John Doe | |
| (4) | ABC Corp., Profit Sharing Plan | John Doe, Trustee |
| Trust Accounts | ||
| (1) | ABC Trust | Jane B. Doe, Trustee |
| (2) | Jane B. Doe, Trustee | |
| u/t/d 12/28/78 | Jane B. Doe | |
| Custodian or Estate Accounts | ||
| (1) | John B. Smith, Cust. | |
| f/b/o John B. Smith, Jr. UGMA | John B. Smith | |
| (2) | John B. Smith, Executor | |
| Estate of Jane Smith | John B. Smith, Executor | |
INSTRUCTIONS FOR TELEPHONE/INTERNET VOTING
Instructions for authorizing your proxy to vote your shares by telephone or Internet are included with the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials and the proxy card.
THE GABELLI HEALTHCARE & WELLNESSRx TRUST
ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
May 22, 2023
PROXY STATEMENT
This Proxy Statement is furnished in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the Board of Trustees (the “Board,” the members of which are referred to as “Trustees”) of The Gabelli Healthcare & WellnessRx Trust, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Fund”), for use at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of the Fund to be held on Monday, May 22, 2023, at 9:45 a.m., ET, at Indian Harbor Yacht Club, 710 Steamboat Road, Greenwich, Connecticut, 06830 and virtually by Internet webcast (the “Meeting”), and at any adjournments or postponements thereof. A Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials will first be mailed to shareholders on or about April 12, 2023.
We are conducting a “hybrid” meeting - you may attend in person or virtually. Whether or not you plan to attend the Meeting in person, shareholders must register in advance by submitting the required information to the Fund at: http://Gabelli.com/CEFAnnualMeeting. Following registration, a shareholder will be provided with instructions regarding how to access the virtual Meeting, including the link for the Meeting.
Requests for registration must be received no later than 5:00 p.m., ET, on May 21, 2023. Shareholders will receive an email confirming their registration and providing instructions for participating in the Meeting. Any questions should be directed to CEFProxy@gabelli.com.
In addition to the solicitation of proxies by mail, officers of the Fund and officers and regular employees of Computershare Trust Company, N.A. (“Computershare”), the Fund’s transfer agent, and affiliates of Computershare or other representatives of the Fund may also solicit proxies by telephone, Internet, or in person. In addition, the Fund has retained Morrow Sodali LLC to assist in the solicitation of proxies for an estimated fee of $1,000 plus reimbursement of expenses. The Fund will pay the costs of the proxy solicitation and the expenses incurred in connection with preparing, printing, and mailing the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials and/or Proxy Statement and its enclosures. If requested, the Fund will also reimburse brokerage firms and others for their expenses in forwarding solicitation materials to the beneficial owners of its shares.
The Fund’s most recent annual report, including audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, is available upon request, without charge, by writing to the Secretary of the Fund, One Corporate Center, Rye, New York 10580-1422, calling the Fund at 800-422-3554, or via the Internet at www.gabelli.com.
If the proxy is properly executed and returned in time to be voted at the Meeting, the shares represented thereby will be voted “FOR” the election of the nominees as Trustees as described in this Proxy Statement, unless instructions to the contrary are marked thereon, and at the discretion of the proxy holders as to the transaction of any other business that may properly come before the Meeting. Any shareholder who has submitted a proxy has the right to revoke it at any time prior to its exercise either by attending the Meeting and voting his or her shares or by submitting a letter of revocation or a later dated proxy to the Fund at the above address prior to the date of the Meeting.
A “quorum” is required in order to transact business at the Meeting. A quorum of shareholders is constituted by the presence or representation by proxy of the holders of one-third of the outstanding shares of the Fund entitled to vote at the Meeting. In the event a quorum is not present at the Meeting, or in the event that a quorum is present at the Meeting but sufficient votes to approve any of the proposed items are not received, the Meeting may be adjourned by an individual appointed by the Board to be the chairperson of the Meeting (or in their absence, a person designated pursuant to the By-Laws to act as chairperson of the Meeting). Alternatively, the chairperson of the Meeting may, in their discretion, submit the question of adjournment to a vote of shareholders. Any such adjournment on which the shareholders vote will require the affirmative vote of a majority of those shares present at the Meeting or represented by proxy. If a quorum is present, the persons named as proxies will vote those proxies which they are entitled to vote “FOR” any proposal in favor of such adjournment and will vote those proxies required to be voted “AGAINST” any
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proposal against any such adjournment. If a quorum is present, a shareholder vote may be taken on one or more of the proposals in this Proxy Statement prior to such adjournment if sufficient votes have been received for approval and it is otherwise appropriate. The chairperson of the Meeting may adjourn any meeting of shareholders from time to time to a date not more than 130 days after the original record date without notice other than announcement at the Meeting. At such adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the Meeting as originally notified. If the meeting is held more than 130 days after the initial record date, the Fund must set a new record date and give notice of it to shareholders, in which case the meeting may be held not more than 130 days beyond the new record date. The Fund may postpone or cancel a meeting of shareholders, and if it does the Fund will make a public announcement of such postponement or cancellation prior to the meeting. The postponed meeting may not be held more than 130 days after the initial record date.
The close of business on March 28, 2023, has been fixed as the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote at the Meeting and all adjournments thereof.
The Fund has two classes of shares of beneficial interest outstanding: common shares, par value $0.001 per share (“Common Shares”), and preferred shares consisting of (i) 4.00% Series E Cumulative Preferred Shares (“Series E Preferred”) and (ii) 5.20% Series G Cumulative Preferred Shares (“Series G Preferred”), each having a par value of $0.001 per share (together, “Preferred Shares”). The holders of the Common Shares and Preferred Shares are each entitled to one vote on each matter to properly come before the Meeting for each full share held. See “Additional Information—Delaware Statutory Trust Act—Control Share Acquisitions” for a discussion of the ability of holders of Common Shares and Preferred Shares that are “control shares” to vote such shares. On the record date, there were 16,972,634 Common Shares, 4,000,000 shares of Series E Preferred and 2,395,500 shares of Series G Preferred outstanding.
Set forth below is information as to those shareholders to the Fund’s knowledge that beneficially own 5% or more of a class of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities as of the record date.
|
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner(s) |
Title of class |
Amount of Shares and |
Percent of Class | |||
| GAMCO Investors, Inc. and affiliates One Corporate Center Rye, NY 10580 |
Preferred | 3,325,000* | 52.0% | |||
| Kenneth Edlow New York, NY 10028 |
Preferred | 620,000 | 9.7% | |||
| Regina Pitaro One Corporate Center Rye, NY 10580 |
Preferred | 500,000 | 7.8% | |||
| MJG 1999 Descendants Trust One Corporate Center Rye, NY 10580 |
Preferred | 400,000 | 6.3% |
As of the record date, there were no persons known to the Fund to be beneficial owners of more than 5% of the Fund’s outstanding Common Shares.
| * | The shares reported are comprised of 1,400,000 shares of Series E Preferred and 711,000 shares of Series G Preferred owned directly by Mario J. Gabelli; 200,000 shares of Series E Preferred and 100,000 shares of Series G Preferred owned by Associated Capital Group, Inc. (ACG), of which Mr. Gabelli is the Executive Chair and controlling shareholder; 314,000 shares of Series E Preferred and 300,000 shares of Series G Preferred owned by Gabelli Foundation Inc.; and 200,000 shares of Series E Preferred and 100,000 shares of Series G Preferred owned by GAMCO Asset Management Inc. Mr. Gabelli has less than a 100% interest in each of these entities and disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares owned by these entities which are in excess of his indirect pecuniary interest. |
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SUMMARY OF VOTING RIGHTS ON PROXY PROPOSALS
|
Proposal |
Common Shareholders |
Preferred Shareholders | ||
| Election of Trustees |
Common and Preferred Shareholders, Agnes Mullady, and Anthonie C. van Ekris |
Common and Preferred Shareholders, voting together as a single class,
vote to elect three Trustees: Agnes Mullady, and Anthonie C. van Ekris | ||
| Preferred Shareholders, voting as a separate class, vote to elect one Trustee: Vincent D. Enright | ||||
| Other Business | Common and Preferred Shareholders, voting together as a single class | |||
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PROPOSAL: TO ELECT FOUR (4) TRUSTEES OF THE FUND
Nominees for the Board of Trustees
The Board consists of eleven Trustees, eight of whom are not “interested persons” of the Fund (as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”)). The Fund divides the Board into three classes, each class having a term of three years. Each year, the term of office of one class will expire. Mario J. Gabelli, Vincent D. Enright, Agnes Mullady, and Anthonie C. van Ekris have each been nominated by the Board for election to serve a three year term to expire at the Fund’s 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders or until their successors are duly elected and qualified. Each of the Trustees of the Fund has served in that capacity since the February 22, 2007 organizational meeting of the Fund, with the exception of Kuni Nakamura, who became a Trustee of the Fund on August 15, 2012, Jeffrey J. Jonas, who became a Trustee of the Fund on February 23, 2016, and Calgary Avansino, Leslie F. Foley, and Agnes Mullady, who became Trustees of the Fund on March 25, 2021. All of the Trustees of the Fund, with the exception of Jeffrey J. Jonas, are also directors or trustees of other investment companies for which Gabelli Funds, LLC (the “Adviser”) or its affiliates serve as investment adviser. The classes of Trustees are indicated below:
Nominees to Serve Until 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders
Mario J. Gabelli
Vincent D. Enright
Agnes Mullady
Anthonie C. van Ekris
Trustees Serving Until 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders
Jeffrey J. Jonas
Kuni Nakamura
James P. Conn
Trustees Serving Until 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders
Calgary Avansino
Leslie F. Foley
Robert C. Kolodny
Salvatore J. Zizza
Under the Fund’s Declaration of Trust, Statements of Preferences, and the 1940 Act, holders of the Fund’s outstanding Preferred Shares, voting as a separate class, are entitled to elect two Trustees, and holders of the Fund’s outstanding Common Shares and Preferred Shares, voting together as a single class, are entitled to elect the remaining Trustees. The holders of the Fund’s outstanding Preferred Shares would be entitled to elect the minimum number of additional Trustees that would represent a majority of the Trustees in the event that dividends on the Fund’s Preferred Shares become in arrears for two full years and until all arrearages are eliminated. No dividend arrearages exist as of the date of this Proxy Statement. Messrs. Conn and Enright are currently the Trustee’s elected solely by the holders of the Fund’s Preferred Shares. Mr. Conn’s term as Trustee is scheduled to expire at the Fund’s 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. Therefore, he is not standing for election at this Meeting. A quorum of the Preferred Shareholders must be present in person or by proxy at the Meeting in order for the proposal to elect Mr. Enright to be considered.
Unless instructions are provided to the contrary, it is the intention of the persons named in the proxy to vote the proxy “FOR” the election of the nominees named above. Each nominee has indicated that he has consented to serve as a Trustee if elected at the Meeting. If, however, a designated nominee declines or otherwise becomes unavailable for election, the proxy confers discretionary power on the persons named therein to vote in favor of a substitute nominee or nominees. Each nominee is qualified to serve as a Trustee under the Fund’s governing documents.
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Information about Trustees and Officers
Set forth in the table below are the existing Trustees, including those Trustees who are not considered to be “interested persons,” as defined in the 1940 Act (the “Independent Trustees”), four of whom are nominated for re-election to the Board of the Fund, and officers of the Fund, including information relating to their respective positions held with the Fund, a brief statement of their principal occupations, and, in the case of the Trustees, their other directorships during the past five years (excluding other funds managed by the Adviser), if any.
|
Name,
Position(s), |
Term
of |
Principal
Occupation(s) |
Other
Directorships |
Number
of | ||||
| INTERESTED TRUSTEES/NOMINEE(4): | ||||||||
| Mario J. Gabelli Trustee and Chief Investment Officer 1942 |
Since 2007* |
Chair, Co-Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Investment Officer - Value Portfolios of GAMCO Investors, Inc. and Chief Investment Officer - Value Portfolios of Gabelli Funds, LLC and GAMCO Asset Management Inc.; Director/Trustee or Chief Investment Officer of other registered investment companies within the Gabelli Fund Complex; Chief Executive Officer of GGCP, Inc.; Executive Chair of Associated Capital Group, Inc. | Director of Morgan Group Holding Co. (holding company) (2001-2019); Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of LICT Corp. (multimedia and communication services company); Director of CIBL, Inc. (broadcasting and wireless communications); Director of ICTC Group Inc. (communications) (2013-2018) | 31(11) | ||||
| Jeffrey J. Jonas Trustee 1981 |
Since 2016** |
Portfolio Manager for Gabelli Funds, LLC, GAMCO Asset Management Inc., and Gabelli & Company Investment Advisers, Inc. | — | 1 | ||||
| Agnes Mullady Trustee 1958 |
Since 2021* |
Senior Vice President of GAMCO Investors, Inc. (2008-2019); Executive Vice President of Associated Capital Group, Inc. (November 2016-2019); President and Chief Operating Officer of the Fund Division of Gabelli Funds, LLC (2010-2019); Vice President of Gabelli Funds, LLC (2006-2019); Chief Executive Officer of G.distributors, LLC (2011-2019); and an officer of all of the Gabelli/GAMCO/Teton Funds (2006-2019) | — | 14 | ||||
| INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES/NOMINEES(5): | ||||||||
| Calgary Avansino(7) Trustee 1975 |
Since 2021*** |
Chief Executive Officer, Glamcam (2018-2020) | Trustee, Cate School; Trustee, the E.L. Wiegand Foundation; Member, the Common Sense Media Advisory Council | 5 | ||||
| James P. Conn(6) Trustee 1938 |
Since 2007** |
Former Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer of Financial Security Assurance Holdings, Ltd. (1992-1998) | — | 23 | ||||
| Vincent D. Enright(6) Trustee 1943 |
Since 2007* |
Former Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of KeySpan Corp. (public utility) (1994-1998) |
Director of Echo Therapeutics, Inc. (therapeutics and diagnostics) (2008-2014); Director of The LGL Group, Inc. (diversified manufacturing) (2011-2014) |
17 | ||||
| Leslie F. Foley(7) Trustee 1968 |
Since 2021*** |
Attorney; Serves on the Board of the Addison Gallery of American Art at Phillips Academy Andover; Vice President, Global Ethics & Compliance and Associate General Counsel for News Corporation (2008-2010) |
— | 16 | ||||
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|
Name,
Position(s), |
Term
of |
Principal
Occupation(s) |
Other
Directorships |
Number
of | ||||
| Robert C. Kolodny(8) Trustee 1944 |
Since 2007*** |
Physician; Medical Director and Chairman of the Board of the Behavioral Medicine Institute; Managing Member of KBS Management LLC (investment adviser); Managing General Partner of KBS Partnership, KBS III Investment Partnership, KBSIV Limited Partnership (1990-2016), KBS New Dimensions, L.P. (1993-2015), Kolodny Family Limited Partnership (private investment partnerships) | — | 2 | ||||
| Kuni Nakamura Trustee 1968 |
Since 2012** |
President of Advanced Polymer, Inc. (chemical manufacturing company); President of KEN Enterprises, Inc. (real estate); Trustee on Long Island University Board of Trustees; Trustee on Fordham Preparatory School Board of Trustees | — | 37 | ||||
| Anthonie C. van Ekris(7) Trustee 1934 |
Since 2007* |
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of BALMAC International, Inc. (global import/export company) | — | 23 | ||||
| Salvatore J. Zizza(7)(9) Trustee 1945 |
Since 2007*** |
President, Zizza & Associates Corp. (private holding company); Chairman of Bergen Cove Realty Inc. (residential real estate) | Director and Chairman of Trans-Lux Corporation (business services); Director and Chairman of Harbor Diversified Inc. (pharmaceuticals) (2009-2018); Retired Chairman of BAM (semiconductor and aerospace manufacturing); Director of Bion Environmental Technologies, Inc. | 35 |
OFFICERS:
|
Name,
Position(s) |
Term
of |
Principal
Occupation(s) | ||
| John C. Ball President, Treasurer, and Principal Financial and Accounting Officer 1976 |
Since 2017 |
Senior Vice President (since 2018) and other positions (2017-2018) of GAMCO Investors, Inc.; Chief Executive Officer, G. Distributors, LLC since 2020; Officer of registered investment companies within the Gabelli Fund Complex since 2017; Vice President and Assistant Treasurer of AMG Funds 2014-2017 | ||
| Peter Goldstein Secretary and Vice President 1953 |
Since 2020 |
General Counsel, GAMCO Investors, Inc. and Chief Legal Officer, Associated Capital Group, Inc. since 2021; General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer, Buckingham Capital Management, Inc. (2012-2020); Chief Legal Officer and Chief Compliance Officer, The Buckingham Research Group, Inc. (2012-2020) | ||
| Richard J. Walz Chief Compliance Officer 1959 |
Since 2013 |
Chief Compliance Officer of registered investment companies within the Gabelli Fund Complex since 2013 | ||
| David I. Schachter Vice President 1953 |
Since 2007 |
Vice President and/or Ombudsman of closed-end funds within the Gabelli Fund Complex; Senior Vice President (since 2015) and Vice President (1999-2015) of G.research, LLC | ||
| Adam E. Tokar Vice President 1980 |
Since 2007 |
Vice President and/or Ombudsman of closed-end funds within the Gabelli Fund Complex |
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|
Name,
Position(s) |
Term
of |
Principal
Occupation(s) | ||
| Bethany A. Uhlein Vice President and Ombudsman 1990 |
Since 2017 |
Vice President and/or Ombudsman of closed-end funds within the Gabelli Fund Complex since May 2017; Senior Vice President (since 2021) of GAMCO Investors, Inc. |
| (1) | Address: One Corporate Center, Rye, NY 10580-1422. |
| (2) | The Fund’s Board of Trustees is divided into three classes, each class having a term of three years. Each year the term of office of one class expires and the successor or successors elected to such class serve for a three year term. |
| (3) | The “Fund Complex” or the “Gabelli Fund Complex” includes all the U.S. registered investment companies that are considered part of the same fund complex as the Fund because they have common or affiliated investment advisers. |
| (4) | “Interested person” of the Fund, as defined in the 1940 Act. Messrs. Gabelli and Jonas are each considered to be an “interested person” of the Fund because of their affiliation with the Fund’s Adviser. Ms. Mullady is considered to be an “interested person” of the Fund because of her direct or indirect beneficial interest in the Fund’s Adviser and due to a previous business or professional relationship with the Fund and the Adviser. |
| (5) | Trustees who are not considered to be “interested persons” of the Fund as defined in the 1940 Act are considered to be “Independent” Trustees. None of the Independent Trustees (with the possible exceptions as described in this proxy statement) nor their family members had any interest in the Adviser or any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Adviser as of December 31, 2022. |
| (6) | Trustee/Nominee elected solely by holders of the Fund’s Preferred Shares. |
| (7) | Ms. Foley’s father, Frank J. Fahrenkopf, Jr., serves as a director of other funds in the Gabelli Fund Complex. Ms. Avansino is the daughter of Raymond C. Avansino, Jr., who is a Director of GAMCO Investors, Inc., the parent company of the Fund’s Adviser. Mr. van Ekris is an independent director of Gabelli International Ltd., Gabelli Fund LDC, GAMA Capital Opportunities Master Ltd., and GAMCO International SICAV, and Mr. Zizza is an independent director of Gabelli International Ltd., all of which may be deemed to be controlled by Mario J. Gabelli and/or affiliates and in that event would be deemed to be under common control with the Fund’s Adviser. |
| (8) | Dr. Kolodny is the managing general partner of the following private investment partnerships for which GAMCO Asset Management Inc. (“GAMCO”), a registered investment adviser under common control with the Manager, serves as an investment adviser providing portfolio management for these entities and receives an advisory fee: KBS Partnership (“KBS”) and KBS III Investment Partnership (“KBS III”). For the calendar years ended December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2022, respectively, GAMCO received the following amounts for the services it provided to these private investment partnerships: (i) KBS- $90,527 and $36,440, (ii) KBS III- $82,443 and $71,364. |
| (9) | On September 9, 2015, Mr. Zizza entered into a settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) to resolve an inquiry relating to an alleged violation regarding the making of false statements or omissions to the accountants of a company concerning a related party transaction. The company in question is not an affiliate of, nor has any connection to, the Fund. Under the terms of the settlement, Mr. Zizza, without admitting or denying the SEC’s findings and allegation, paid $150,000 and agreed to cease and desist committing or causing any future violations of Rule 13b2-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”). The Board has discussed this matter and has determined that it does not disqualify Mr. Zizza from serving as an Independent Trustee. |
| (10) | Includes time served in prior officer positions with the Fund. Each officer will hold office for an indefinite term until the date he or she resigns or retires or until his or her successor is duly elected and qualifies. |
| (11) | As of December 31, 2022, there are a total of 49 registered investment companies in the Fund Complex. Of the 49 registered investment companies, Mr. Gabelli serves as a director or trustee for 31 funds, sole portfolio manager of 5 funds, and part of the portfolio management team of 15 funds. |
| * | Nominee to serve, if elected, until the Fund’s 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and until his or her successor is duly elected and qualifies. |
| ** | Term continues until the Fund’s 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and until his successor is duly elected and qualifies. |
| *** | Term continues until the Fund’s 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and until his or her successor is duly elected and qualifies. |
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The Board believes that each Trustee’s experience, qualifications, attributes or skills on an individual basis and in combination with those of other Trustees lead to the conclusion that each Trustee should serve in such capacity. Among the attributes or skills common to all Trustees are their ability to review critically and to evaluate, question and discuss information provided to them, to interact effectively with the other Trustees, the Adviser, the sub-administrator, other service providers, counsel, and the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, and to exercise effective and independent business judgment in the performance of their duties as Trustees. Each Trustee’s ability to perform his/her duties effectively has been attained in large part through the Trustee’s business, consulting, or public service positions and through experience from service as a member of the Board and one or more of the other funds in the Fund Complex, public companies, non-profit entities, or other organizations as set forth above and below. Each Trustee’s ability to perform his or her duties effectively also has been enhanced by education, professional training, and other experience.
Interested Trustees/Nominee
Mario J. Gabelli, CFA. Mr. Gabelli is Chief Investment Officer of the Fund. He serves in the same capacity and as Chair of the boards of other funds in the Fund Complex. Mr. Gabelli is Chair, Co-Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Investment Officer – Value Portfolios of GAMCO Investors, Inc. (“GAMI”), an OTC-listed asset manager and financial services company. He is the Chief Investment Officer of Value Portfolios of Gabelli Funds, LLC and GAMCO Asset Management, Inc., each of which are asset management subsidiaries of GAMI. In addition, Mr. Gabelli is Chief Executive Officer, Chief Investment Officer, a director and the controlling shareholder of GGCP, Inc. (“GGCP”), a private company that holds a majority interest in GAMI, and the Chair of MJG Associates, Inc., which acts as an investment manager of various investment funds and other accounts. He is Executive Chair of Associated Capital Group, Inc., a public company that provides alternative management and institutional research services and is a majority-owned subsidiary of GGCP. Mr. Gabelli has served as Chair of LICT Corporation (“LICT”), a public company engaged in broadband transport and other communications services, since 2004 and has been the CEO of LICT since December 2010. He has also served as a director of CIBL, Inc. (“CIBL”), a public holding company that was spun-off from LICT in 2007, since 2007 and as Executive Chair since February 2020. He served as the Chair of Morgan Group Holding Co., a public holding company, from 2001 to October 2019 and as the CEO from 2001 to November 2012. Mr. Gabelli serves as Overseer of the Columbia University Graduate School of Business and as a trustee of Boston College and Roger Williams University. He serves as a director of the Winston Churchill Foundation, The E.L. Wiegand Foundation, The American-Italian Cancer Foundation, and The Foundation for Italian Art and Culture. He is Chair of the Gabelli Foundation, Inc., a Nevada private charitable trust. Mr. Gabelli serves as Co-President of Field Point Park Association, Inc. Mr. Gabelli received his Bachelor’s degree from Fordham University, MBA from Columbia Business School, and honorary Doctorates from Fordham University and Roger Williams University.
Jeffrey J. Jonas, CFA. Mr. Jonas joined GAMI as a research analyst in 2003 and has focused on companies in the cardiovascular, healthcare services, and pharmacy benefits sectors, among others. Mr. Jonas is a portfolio manager of the Fund and other funds in the Gabelli Fund Complex. In addition, he serves as portfolio manager for Gabelli & Company Investment Advisers, Inc. and its Medical Opportunities Fund, a healthcare focused hedge fund. He is also a portfolio manager on GAMCO’s institutional and high net worth separate accounts team. Mr. Jonas was a Presidential Scholar at Boston College, where he received his Bachelor’s degree in Finance and Management Information Systems.
Agnes Mullady. Ms. Mullady was an officer of registered investment companies within the Fund Complex from 2006 until 2019, President and Chief Operation Officer of the Fund Division of Gabelli Funds, LLC from 2010 until 2019, Chief Executive Officer of G.distributors, LLC from 2011 until 2019, Senior Vice President of GAMI from 2009 until 2019, Vice President of Gabelli Funds, LLC from 2006 until 2019, and Executive Vice President of Associated Capital Group, Inc. from 2016 until 2019. Prior to joining GAMI in December 2005, Ms. Mullady was a Senior Vice President at U.S. Trust Company and Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer of the Excelsior Funds from 2004 through 2005. Ms. Mullady received her MBA degree in Finance from New York Institute of Technology and her BA in Accounting from Queens College.
Independent Trustees/Nominees
Calgary Avansino. Ms. Avansino was CEO of Glamcam from 2018-2020, a social commerce app focusing on the Gen Z market. She also began serving on the Boards of Trustees of the Cate School in 2017 and the E.L. Wiegand Foundation in 2018. She became a member of the Common Sense Media Advisory Council in 2019. Previously,
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beginning in 2014, she was a Contributing Vogue Editor in order to launch her eponymous wellness company, and in 2016, she published the nutrition book entitled Keep It Real, launched a website, and was a prolific public speaker on wellness trends. From 2009-2013, Ms. Avansino was Executive Fashion Director and Digital Project Director at British Vogue. Ms. Avansino is a graduate of Cate Preparatory School ’93 and Georgetown University ’98, with a major in English Literature and a minor in Women’s Studies.
James P. Conn. Mr. Conn is the Lead Independent Trustee of the Fund and a member of the Fund’s Nominating, ad hoc Proxy Voting, and ad hoc Pricing Committees. He serves on comparable or other board committees with respect to other funds in the Fund Complex on whose boards he sits. He was a senior business executive of Transamerica Corp., an insurance holding company, for much of his career, including service as Chief Investment Officer. Mr. Conn has been a director of several public companies in banking and other industries, and was lead director and/or chair of various committees. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Santa Clara University.
Vincent D. Enright. Mr. Enright is Chairman of the Fund’s Audit Committee and has been designated as the Fund’s Audit Committee Financial Expert. He is also Chairman of the Fund’s ad hoc Proxy Voting Committee and a member of both multi-fund ad hoc Compensation Committees. He serves on comparable or other board committees with respect to other funds in the Fund Complex on whose boards he sits. Mr. Enright was a senior executive and Chief Financial Officer of KeySpan Corp., an energy public utility, for four years. Mr. Enright is a former director of a therapeutic and diagnostic company and served as Chairman of its compensation committee and as a member of its audit committee. He is a former director of a pharmaceutical company and a diversified manufacturing company. Mr. Enright received his Bachelor’s degree from Fordham University and completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard University.
Leslie F. Foley. Ms. Foley is an attorney currently serving on the Board of the Addison Gallery of American Art at Phillips Academy Andover. She serves on the boards of other funds in the Gabelli Fund Complex. Ms. Foley was previously Vice President, Global Ethics & Compliance and Associate General Counsel for News Corporation. She also served in the White House Counsel’s Office as Associate Counsel to President George W. Bush. Earlier in her career, Ms. Foley served as Counsel for O’Melveny and Myers LLP; Managing Director of Fixed Income Legal at Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc.; associate at Dewey Ballantine LLP; and law clerk to Judge Diarmuid F. O’Scannlain of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. She graduated from Yale University magna cum laude and from the University of Virginia School of Law where she was an editor of the Virginia Law Review.
Robert C. Kolodny, M.D. Dr. Kolodny is Medical Director and Chairman of the Board of the Behavioral Medicine Institute. He is a member of the Fund’s ad hoc Proxy Voting Committee and serves on the board of another fund in the Fund Complex. Dr. Kolodny has over forty years of investment experience as managing member or managing general partner of numerous investment partnerships. He is also the founder and managing member of KBS Management, LLC, that was a New Hampshire registered investment adviser from 2006 to 2019 but is now a private investment entity. Dr. Kolodny previously served as a director for the Lynch Corporation (a publicly traded company) and Tremont Partners (a private investment firm). Dr. Kolodny is the author or co-author of numerous articles and books on medical and psychological topics, and has lectured at leading medical schools in the U.S. on these and other subjects. He received a Bachelor’s degree from Columbia University and his Doctorate in Medicine from the Washington University School of Medicine.
Kuni Nakamura. Mr. Nakamura is the president of Advanced Polymer, Inc., a chemical manufacturing company, and president of KEN Enterprises, Inc., a real estate company. He is the Chairman of the Fund’s Nominating Committee and a member of the Fund’s Audit and ad hoc Pricing Committees. Mr. Nakamura serves on comparable or other board committees with respect to other funds in the Fund Complex on whose boards he sits. Mr. Nakamura was previously a board member of The LGL Group, Inc., a diversified manufacturing company. He serves on the Board of Trustees of Long Island University in Brookville, NY and the Fordham Preparatory School. He is involved in various capacities with The University of Pennsylvania and The Guiding Eyes for the Blind. Mr. Nakamura is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania – The Wharton School with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Multinational Management.
Anthonie C. van Ekris. Mr. van Ekris has been the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of BALMAC International, Inc., a global import/export company, for over twenty years. He serves on the boards of other funds in the Gabelli Fund Complex and as a director and the Chairman of the GAMCO International SICAV. Mr. van Ekris has over fifty-five years of experience as Chairman and/or Chief Executive Officer of public and private companies involved in international trading or commodity trading, and served in both of these capacities for nearly
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twenty years for a large public jewelry chain. Mr. van Ekris is a former director of an oil and gas operations company. He served on the boards of a number of public companies and for more than ten years on the Advisory Board of the Salvation Army of Greater New York.
Salvatore J. Zizza. Mr. Zizza is the President of Zizza & Associates Corp., a private holding company that invests in various industries. He also serves or has served as Chairman to other companies involved in manufacturing, recycling, real estate, technology, and pharmaceuticals. He is a member of the Fund’s Audit, Nominating, and ad hoc Pricing Committees and a member of both multi-fund ad hoc Compensation Committees. Mr. Zizza serves on comparable or other board committees with respect to other funds in the Fund Complex on whose boards he sits. In addition to serving on the boards of other funds in the Fund Complex, Mr. Zizza is currently and has previously been a director of other public companies. He was also the President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Financial Officer of a large NYSE-listed construction company. Mr. Zizza received his Bachelor’s degree and MBA in Finance from St. John’s University, which awarded him an Honorary Doctorate in Commercial Sciences.
Trustees – Leadership Structure and Oversight Responsibilities
Overall responsibility for general oversight of the Fund rests with the Board. The Board does not have a Chairman. The Board has appointed Mr. Conn as the Lead Independent Trustee. The Lead Independent Trustee presides over executive sessions of the Trustees and also serves between meetings of the Board as a liaison with service providers, officers, counsel, and other Trustees on a wide variety of matters including scheduling agenda items for Board meetings. Designation as such does not impose on the Lead Independent Trustee any obligations or standards greater than or different from other Trustees. The Board has established a Nominating Committee and an Audit Committee to assist the Board in the oversight of the management and affairs of the Fund. The Board also has an ad hoc Proxy Voting Committee that exercises voting and investment responsibilities on behalf of the Fund in selected situations. From time to time, the Board establishes additional committees or informal working groups, such as an ad hoc Pricing Committee related to securities offerings by the Fund to address specific matters, or assigns one of its members to work with trustees or directors of other funds in the Fund Complex on special committees or working groups that address complex-wide matters, such as the multi-fund ad hoc Compensation Committee relating to the compensation of the Chief Compliance Officer for all the funds in the Fund Complex, and a separate multi-fund ad hoc Compensation Committee relating to the compensation of certain other officers of the closed-end funds in the Fund Complex.
All of the Fund’s Trustees, other than Messrs. Gabelli and Jonas and Ms. Mullady, are Independent Trustees and the Board believes it is able to provide effective oversight of the Fund’s service providers. In addition to providing feedback and direction during Board meetings, the Independent Trustees meet regularly in executive session and chair all committees of the Board.
The Fund’s operations entail a variety of risks, including investment, administration, valuation, and a range of compliance matters. Although the Adviser, the sub-administrator, and the officers of the Fund are responsible for managing these risks on a day-to-day basis within the framework of their established risk management functions, the Board also addresses risk management of the Fund through its meetings and those of the committees and working groups. As part of its general oversight, the Board reviews with the Adviser at Board meetings the levels and types of risks being undertaken by the Fund, and the Audit Committee discusses the Fund’s risk management and controls with the independent registered public accounting firm engaged by the Fund. The Board reviews valuation policies and procedures and the valuations of specific illiquid securities. The Board also receives periodic reports from the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer regarding compliance matters relating to the Fund and its major service providers, including results of the implementation and testing of the Fund’s and such providers’ compliance programs. The Board’s oversight function is facilitated by management reporting processes designed to provide visibility to the Board regarding the identification, assessment, and management of critical risks, and the controls and policies and procedures used to mitigate those risks. The Board reviews its role in supervising the Fund’s risk management from time to time and may make changes at its discretion at any time.
The Board has determined that its leadership structure is appropriate for the Fund because it enables the Board to exercise informed and independent judgment over matters under its purview, allocates responsibility among committees in a manner that fosters effective oversight, and allows the Board to devote appropriate resources to specific issues in a flexible manner as they arise. The Board periodically reviews its leadership structure as well as its overall structure, composition, and functioning, and may make changes at its discretion at any time.
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Beneficial Ownership of Shares Held in the Fund and the Family of Investment Companies for each Trustee and Nominee for Election as Trustee
Set forth in the table below is the dollar range of equity securities in the Fund beneficially owned by each Trustee and nominee for election as Trustee and the aggregate dollar range of equity securities in the Fund Complex beneficially owned by each Trustee and nominee for election as Trustee.
|
Name of Trustee/Nominee |
Dollar
Range of Equity |
Aggregate
Dollar Range of Equity | ||
| INTERESTED TRUSTEES/NOMINEE: | ||||
| Mario J. Gabelli | E | E | ||
| Jeffrey J. Jonas | E | E | ||
| Agnes Mullady | B | C | ||
| INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES/NOMINEES: | ||||
| Calgary Avansino | A | A | ||
| James P. Conn | C | E | ||
| Vincent D. Enright | A | E | ||
| Leslie F. Foley | A | B | ||
| Robert C. Kolodny | D | E | ||
| Kuni Nakamura | E | E | ||
| Anthonie C. van Ekris | E | E | ||
| Salvatore J. Zizza | C | E | ||
| * | Key to Dollar Ranges | |
| A. | None | |
| B. | $1 – $10,000 | |
| C. | $10,001 – $50,000 | |
| D. | $50,001 – $100,000 | |
| E. | Over $100,000 | |
| All shares were valued as of December 31, 2022. | |
| (1) | This information has been furnished by each Trustee and nominee for election as Trustee as of December 31, 2022. “Beneficial Ownership” is determined in accordance with Rule 16a-l(a)(2) of the 1934 Act. |
| (2) | The term “Family of Investment Companies” includes two or more registered funds that share the same investment adviser or principal underwriter and hold themselves out to investors as related companies for purposes of investment and investor services. Currently, the registered funds that comprise the “Fund Complex” are identical to those that comprise the “Family of Investment Companies.” |
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Set forth in the table below is the amount of shares beneficially owned by each Trustee, nominee for election as Trustee, and executive officer of the Fund.
|
Name of Trustee/Nominee/Officer |
Amount and Nature
of |
Percent of Shares | ||
| INTERESTED TRUSTEES/NOMINEE: | ||||
| Mario J. Gabelli | 521,367(3) | 3.1% | ||
| 2,114,000 Series E Preferred(4) | 33.1% | |||
| Jeffrey J. Jonas | 15,667 | * | ||
| Agnes Mullady | 150 | * | ||
| INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES/NOMINEES: | ||||
| Calgary Avansino | 0 | * | ||
| James P. Conn | 1,000 | * | ||
| Vincent D. Enright | 0 | * | ||
| Leslie F. Foley | 0 | * | ||
| Robert C. Kolodny | 7,036(5) | * | ||
| Kuni Nakamura | 10,689 | * | ||
| Anthonie C. van Ekris | 12,300 | * | ||
| Salvatore J. Zizza | 2,524 | * | ||
| EXECUTIVE OFFICERS: | ||||
| John C. Ball | 0 | * | ||
| Peter Goldstein | 0 | * | ||
| Richard J. Walz | 0 | * | ||
| (1) | This information has been furnished by each Trustee, including each nominee for election as Trustee, and executive officer as of December 31, 2022. “Beneficial Ownership” is determined in accordance with Rule 13d-3 of the 1934 Act. Reflects ownership of Common Shares unless otherwise noted. The table does not reflect beneficial ownership, if any, of Series G Preferred, which were initially issued on January 18, 2023. |
| (2) | An asterisk indicates that the ownership amount constitutes less than 1% of the total shares outstanding. The ownership of the Trustees, including nominees for election as Trustee, and executive officers as a group constitutes 3.1% of the total Common Shares outstanding and 33.1% of the total Preferred Shares outstanding. |
| (3) | Includes 217,141 Common Shares owned by Mr. Gabelli and 304,226 Common Shares owned by GGCP, Inc. (GGCP), of which Mr. Gabelli is the Chief Executive Officer, a director, and the controlling shareholder. Mr. Gabelli has less than a 100% interest in this entity and disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares owned by this entity which are in excess of his indirect pecuniary interest. |
| (4) | Includes 1,400,000 shares of Series E Preferred owned by Mr. Gabelli; 200,000 shares of Series E Preferred owned by Associated Capital Group, Inc. (ACG), of which Mr. Gabelli is the Executive Chair and controlling shareholder; 314,000 shares of Series E Preferred owned by Gabelli Foundation Inc.; and 200,000 shares of Series E Preferred owned by GAMCO Asset Management Inc. Mr. Gabelli has less than a 100% interest in each of these entities and disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares owned by these entities which are in excess of his indirect pecuniary interest. |
| (5) | Includes 464 Common Shares owned by Dr. Kolodny’s daughters for which he disclaims beneficial ownership. |
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Set forth in the table below is the amount of interests beneficially owned by each Independent Trustee, nominee for election as an Independent Trustee or his or her family member, as applicable, in a person, other than a registered investment company, that may be deemed to be controlled by the Fund’s Adviser and/or affiliates (including Mario J. Gabelli) and in that event would be deemed to be under common control with the Fund’s Adviser.
|
Name of Independent |
Name of Owner and |
Company |
Title of Class |
Value of |
Percent of | ||||||
| James P. Conn | Same | PMV Consumer Acquisitions Corp. | Warrants | $ | 11 | * | |||||
| Kuni Nakamura | Same | The LGL Group, Inc. | Common Stock | $ | 7,031 | * | |||||
| Kuni Nakamura | Same | The LGL Group, Inc. | Warrants | $ | 347 | * | |||||
| Kuni Nakamura | Same | M-Tron Industries Inc. | Common Stock | $ | 7,595 | * | |||||
| Anthonie C. van Ekris | Same | LICT Corp. | Common Stock | $ | 480,000 | * | |||||
| Anthonie C. van Ekris | Same | The LGL Group, Inc. | Common Stock | $ | 8,910 | * | |||||
| Anthonie C. van Ekris | Same | CIBL, Inc. | Common Stock | $ | 42,600 | * | |||||
| Anthonie C. van Ekris | Same | The LGL Group, Inc. | Warrants | $ | 440 | * | |||||
| Anthonie C. van Ekris | Same | M-Tron Industries Inc. | Common Stock | $ | 9,625 | * | |||||
| Salvatore J. Zizza | Same | Gabelli Associates Fund | Limited Partner Interests | $ | 3,014,341 | 1.55% | |||||
| Salvatore J. Zizza | Same | Gabelli Performance Partnership L.P. | Limited Partner Interests | $ | 337,362 | * | |||||
| (1) | This information has been furnished as of December 31, 2022. |
| (2) | An asterisk indicates that the ownership amount constitutes less than 1% of the total interests outstanding. |
The Fund pays each Independent Trustee and certain Interested Trustees an annual retainer of $3,000 plus $1,000 for each Board meeting attended. Each Trustee who is not employed by the Adviser is reimbursed by the Fund for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in attending meetings. All Board committee members receive $500 per meeting attended. In addition, the Audit Committee Chairman receives an annual fee of $3,000, the Nominating Committee Chairman receives an annual fee of $2,000, and the Lead Independent Trustee receives an annual fee of $1,000. A Trustee may receive a single meeting fee, allocated among the participating funds, for participation in certain meetings on behalf of multiple funds. The aggregate remuneration (excluding out-of-pocket expenses) paid by the Fund to such Trustees during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, amounted to $82,500. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, the Trustees of the Fund met five times, four of which were regular quarterly Board meetings and one of which was a special Board meeting. Each Trustee then serving in such capacity attended at least 75% of the Board meetings and of any committee of which he or she is a member.
The Audit Committee and Audit Committee Report
The role of the Fund’s Audit Committee is to assist the Board of Trustees in its oversight of (i) the quality and integrity of the Fund’s financial statement reporting process and the independent audit and reviews thereof; (ii) the Fund’s accounting and financial reporting policies and practices, its internal controls, and, as appropriate, the internal controls of certain of its service providers; (iii) the Fund’s compliance with legal and regulatory requirements; and (iv) the independent registered public accounting firm’s qualifications, independence, and performance. The Audit Committee also is required to prepare an audit committee report pursuant to the rules of the SEC for inclusion in the Fund’s annual proxy statement. The Audit Committee operates pursuant to the Audit Committee Charter (the “Audit Charter”) that was most recently reviewed and approved by the Board of Trustees on February 16, 2023. The Audit Charter is available in the Closed-End Funds – Corporate Governance Section on the Fund’s website at www.gabelli.com.
Pursuant to the Audit Charter, the Audit Committee is responsible for conferring with the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, reviewing annual financial statements, approving the selection of the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, and overseeing the Fund’s internal controls. The Audit Charter also contains provisions relating to the pre-approval by the Audit Committee of audit and non-audit services to be provided by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (“PricewaterhouseCoopers”) to the Fund and to the Adviser and certain of its affiliates. The Audit Committee advises the full Board with respect to accounting, auditing, and financial matters affecting the Fund. As set forth in the Audit Charter, management is responsible for maintaining appropriate systems for accounting and internal control, and the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm is responsible for
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planning and carrying out proper audits and reviews. The independent registered public accounting firm is ultimately accountable to the Board of Trustees and to the Audit Committee, as representatives of shareholders. The independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund reports directly to the Audit Committee.
In performing its oversight function, at a meeting held on February 13, 2023, the Audit Committee reviewed and discussed with management of the Fund and PricewaterhouseCoopers, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, the audited financial statements of the Fund as of and for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, and the conduct of the audit of such financial statements.
In addition, the Audit Committee discussed with PricewaterhouseCoopers the accounting principles applied by the Fund and such other matters brought to the attention of the Audit Committee by PricewaterhouseCoopers as required by PCAOB auditing standards and rules. The Audit Committee also received from PricewaterhouseCoopers the written disclosures and statements required by the SEC’s independence rules, delineating relationships between PricewaterhouseCoopers and the Fund, and discussed the impact that any such relationships might have on the objectivity and independence of PricewaterhouseCoopers as the independent registered public accounting firm.
As set forth above, and as more fully set forth in the Audit Charter, the Audit Committee has significant duties and powers in its oversight role with respect to the Fund’s financial reporting procedures, internal control systems, and the independent audit process.
The members of the Audit Committee are not, and do not represent themselves to be, professionally engaged in the practice of auditing or accounting and are not employed by the Fund for accounting, financial management, or internal control purposes. Moreover, the Audit Committee relies on and makes no independent verification of the facts presented to it or representations made by management or the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. Accordingly, the Audit Committee’s oversight does not provide an independent basis to determine that management has maintained appropriate accounting and/or financial reporting principles and policies, or internal controls and procedures, designed to assure compliance with accounting standards and applicable laws and regulations. Furthermore, the Audit Committee’s considerations and discussions referred to above do not provide assurance that the audit of the Fund’s financial statements has been carried out in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB or that the financial statements are presented in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
Based on its consideration of the audited financial statements and the discussions referred to above with management and PricewaterhouseCoopers, and subject to the limitations on the responsibilities and role of the Audit Committee set forth in the Audit Charter and those discussed above, the Audit Committee recommended to the Fund’s Board of Trustees that the Fund’s audited financial statements be included in the Fund’s Annual Report for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022.
Submitted by the Audit Committee of the Fund’s Board of Trustees
Vincent D. Enright, Chairman
Kuni Nakamura
Salvatore J. Zizza
February 13, 2023
The Audit Committee met two times during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022. The Audit Committee is composed of three of the Fund’s Independent Trustees, Messrs. Enright (Chairman), Nakamura, and Zizza. Each member of the Audit Committee has been determined by the Board of Trustees to be financially literate. Mr. Enright has been designated as the Fund’s audit committee financial expert, as defined in Items 407(d)(5)(ii) and (iii) of Regulation S-K.
Nominating Committee
The Board of Trustees has a Nominating Committee composed of three Independent Trustees, Messrs. Nakamura (Chairman), Conn, and Zizza. Each Nominating Committee Member is an Independent Trustee as determined under guidelines of the NYSE. The Nominating Committee met once during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022. The Nominating Committee is responsible for identifying and recommending qualified candidates to the Board in the event that a position is vacated or created. The Nominating Committee will consider recommendations by shareholders if
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a vacancy were to exist. In considering candidates submitted by shareholders, the Nominating Committee will take into consideration the needs of the Board, the qualifications of the candidate, and the interests of shareholders. The Nominating Committee may also take into consideration the number of shares held by the recommending shareholder and the length of time that such shares have been held. To recommend a candidate for consideration by the Nominating Committee, a shareholder must submit the recommendation in writing and must include the following information:
| • | The name of the shareholder and evidence of the shareholder’s ownership of shares of the Fund, including the number of shares owned and the length of time of ownership; | |
| • | The name of the candidate, the candidate’s resume or a listing of his or her qualifications to be a Trustee of the Fund, and the person’s consent to be named as a Trustee if selected by the Nominating Committee and nominated by the Board of Trustees; | |
| • | All other information required to be submitted under the Fund’s Declaration of Trust and By-Laws; and | |
| • | If requested by the Nominating Committee, a completed and signed trustee’s questionnaire. |
The shareholder recommendation and information described above must be sent to the Fund’s Secretary, c/o Gabelli Funds, LLC, One Corporate Center, Rye, NY 10580-1422, and must be received by the Secretary no less than 120 calendar days and not more than 150 calendar days before the first anniversary of the date of the prior year’s annual meeting or, if the meeting has moved by more than twenty-five days before or after such anniversary date, no later than ten days following the date on which notice of the date of such annual meeting is first mailed or public announcement of the date of such annual meeting is first made, whichever occurs first. In no event shall the adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting, or the public announcement of such an adjournment or postponement, commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of notice as described above.
If information submitted pursuant to the By-Laws by any shareholder proposing a nominee for election as a Trustee shall be inaccurate or incomplete in any material respect, such information may be deemed not to have been provided, and the nomination in respect of which such information is required by the By-Laws may be deemed not to have been made, in accordance with the By-Laws. Any such shareholder shall notify the Fund of any inaccuracy or incompleteness (within two business days of becoming aware of such inaccuracy or change) in any such information.
The Nominating Committee believes that the minimum qualifications for serving as a Trustee of the Fund are that the individual demonstrate, by significant accomplishment in his or her field, an ability to make a meaningful contribution to the Board of Trustees’ oversight of the business and affairs of the Fund and have an impeccable record and reputation for honest and ethical conduct in both his or her professional and personal activities. In addition, the Nominating Committee examines a candidate’s specific experiences and skills, time availability in light of other commitments, potential conflicts of interest, and independence from management and the Fund.
The Nominating Committee also considers the overall composition of the Board, bearing in mind the benefits that may be derived from having members who have a variety of experiences, qualifications, attributes, or skills useful in overseeing a publicly traded, highly regulated entity such as the Fund. The Fund’s governing documents state that a nominee for Trustee shall be at least twenty-one years of age and not older than such maximum age, if any, as the Trustees may determine and shall not be under legal disability. The Trustees have not determined a maximum age. The Fund’s governing documents contain certain additional Trustee qualifications. A shareholder that wishes to nominate a candidate for Trustee should consult the Declaration of Trust and By-Laws. The Nominating Committee does not have a formal policy regarding the consideration of diversity in identifying trustee candidates. For a discussion of experiences, qualifications, attributes, or skills supporting the appropriateness of each Trustee’s service on the Fund’s Board, see the biographical information of the Trustees above in the section entitled “Information about Trustees and Officers.”
The Board of Trustees adopted a Nominating Committee charter on February 22, 2007. The charter is available in the Closed-End Funds – Corporate Governance Section on the Fund’s website at www.gabelli.com.
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Other Board Related Matters
The Board of Trustees has established the following procedures in order to facilitate communications among the Board and the shareholders of the Fund and other interested parties.
Receipt of Communications
Shareholders and other interested parties may contact the Board or any member of the Board by mail or electronically. To communicate with the Board or any member of the Board, correspondence should be addressed to the Board or the Board member(s) with whom you wish to communicate either by name or title. All such correspondence should be sent to The Gabelli Healthcare & WellnessRx Trust, c/o Gabelli Funds, LLC, One Corporate Center, Rye, NY 10580-1422. To communicate with the Board electronically, shareholders may go to the corporate website at www.gabelli.com under the heading “Contact Us/Contact Information/Email/Board of Directors (Gabelli Closed- End Funds).”
Forwarding the Communications
All communications received will be opened by the office of the General Counsel of the Adviser for the sole purpose of determining whether the contents represent a message to one or more Trustees. The office of the General Counsel will forward promptly to the addressee(s) any contents that relate to the Fund and that are not in the nature of advertising, promotions of a product or service, or patently offensive or otherwise objectionable material. In the case of communications to the Board of Trustees or any committee or group of members of the Board, the General Counsel’s office will make sufficient copies of the contents to send to each Trustee who is a member of the group or committee to which the envelope or e-mail is addressed.
The Fund does not expect Trustees or nominees for election as Trustee to attend the Meeting. No Trustee or nominee for election as Trustee attended the Fund’s annual meeting of shareholders held on May 9, 2022.
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The following table sets forth certain information regarding the compensation of the Trustees by the Fund and officers, if any, who were compensated by the Fund rather than the Adviser for the year ended December 31, 2022.
COMPENSATION TABLE
FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2022
| Name of Person and Position | Aggregate Compensation from the Fund | Aggregate Compensation from the Fund and Fund Complex Paid to Trustees* | |||||||
| INTERESTED TRUSTEES/NOMINEE: | |||||||||
| Mario J. Gabelli Trustee and Chief Investment Officer |
$ | 0 | $ | 0 | (0) | ||||
| Jeffrey J. Jonas Trustee |
$ | 0 | $ | 0 | (0) | ||||
| Agnes Mullady Trustee |
$ | 8,000 | $ | 132,500 | (13) | ||||
| INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES/NOMINEES: | |||||||||
| Calgary Avansino Trustee |
$ | 8,000 | $ | 49,000 | (5) | ||||
| James P. Conn Trustee |
$ | 9,500 | $ | 279,000 | (23) | ||||
| Vincent D. Enright Trustee |
$ | 12,000 | $ | 217,500 | (17) | ||||
| Leslie F. Foley Trustee |
$ | 8,000 | $ | 93,000 | (15) | ||||
| Robert C. Kolodny Trustee |
$ | 8,000 | $ | 13,000 | (2) | ||||
| Kuni Nakamura Trustee |
$ | 11,500 | $ | 351,125 | (36) | ||||
| Anthonie C. van Ekris Trustee |
$ | 8,000 | $ | 214,500 | (23) | ||||
| Salvatore J. Zizza Trustee |
$ | 9,500 | $ | 323,000 | (34) | ||||
| * | Represents the total compensation paid to such persons during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, by investment companies (including the Fund) or portfolios that are part of the Fund Complex. The number in parentheses represents the number of such investment companies and portfolios. |
Required Vote
The election of each of the listed nominees for Trustee of the Fund requires the affirmative vote of the holders of a plurality of the applicable class or classes of shares of the Fund present or represented by proxy at the Meeting, provided a quorum is present. A “plurality” vote means that the nominees who receive the largest number of votes cast (even if they receive less than a majority) will be elected as trustees. Since the nominees are running unopposed, each nominee only needs one vote to be elected if there is a quorum present at the Meeting.
THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, INCLUDING THE INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES, UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS THAT THE SHAREHOLDERS VOTE “FOR” THE ELECTION OF EACH APPLICABLE NOMINEE.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
PricewaterhouseCoopers, 300 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10017, has been selected to serve as the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023. PricewaterhouseCoopers acted as the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022. The Fund knows of no direct financial or material indirect financial interest of PricewaterhouseCoopers in the Fund. A representative of PricewaterhouseCoopers will not be present at the Meeting, but will be available by telephone and will have an opportunity to make a statement, if asked, and will be available to respond to appropriate questions.
Set forth in the table below are audit fees and non-audit related fees billed to the Fund by PricewaterhouseCoopers for professional services received during and for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively.
|
Fiscal
Year Ended |
Audit Fees |
Audit |
Tax Fees* |
All Other Fees | ||||
| 2021 | $33,725 | — | $3,875 | $19,500 | ||||
| 2022 | $34,939 | — | $4,070 | — |
| * | “Tax Fees” are those fees billed by PricewaterhouseCoopers in connection with tax compliance services, including primarily the review of the Fund’s income tax returns. |
The Fund’s Audit Charter requires that the Audit Committee pre-approve all audit and non-audit services to be provided by the independent registered public accounting firm to the Fund, and all non-audit services to be provided by the independent registered public accounting firm to the Fund’s Adviser and service providers controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Fund’s Adviser (“affiliates”) that provide ongoing services to the Fund (a “Covered Services Provider”), if the engagement relates directly to the operations and financial reporting of the Fund. The Audit Committee may delegate its responsibility to pre-approve any such audit and permissible non-audit services to the Chairman of the Audit Committee, and the Chairman must report his decision(s) to the Audit Committee, at its next regularly scheduled meeting after the Chairman’s pre-approval of such services. The Audit Committee may also establish detailed pre-approval policies and procedures for pre-approval of such services in accordance with applicable laws, including the delegation of some or all of the Audit Committee’s pre-approval responsibilities to other persons (other than the Adviser or the Fund’s officers). Pre-approval by the Audit Committee of any permissible non-audit services is not required so long as: (i) the aggregate amount of all such permissible non-audit services provided to the Fund, the Adviser, and any Covered Services Provider constitutes not more than 5% of the total amount of revenues paid by the Fund to its independent registered public accounting firm during the year in which the permissible non-audit services are provided; (ii) the permissible non-audit services were not recognized by the Fund at the time of the engagement to be non-audit services; and (iii) such services are promptly brought to the attention of the Audit Committee and approved by the Audit Committee or the Chairman prior to the completion of the audit. All of the audit, audit related, and tax services described above for which PricewaterhouseCoopers billed the Fund fees for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2022, were pre-approved by the Audit Committee. All other fees for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, reflected in the table above represent services provided in review of the registration statement.
For the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021 and 2022, PricewaterhouseCoopers has represented to the Fund that it did not provide any non-audit services (or bill any fees for such services) to the Adviser or any Covered Services Provider.
The Audit Committee was not required to consider whether the provision of non-audit services that were rendered to the Adviser or Covered Service Providers that were not pre-approved was compatible with maintaining PricewaterhouseCoopers’ independence.
The Investment Adviser and Administrator
Gabelli Funds, LLC is the Fund’s Adviser and Administrator and its business address is One Corporate Center, Rye, New York 10580-1422.
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Delinquent Section 16(a) Reports
Section 16(a) of the 1934 Act and Section 30(h) of the 1940 Act, and the rules thereunder, require the Fund’s executive officers and Trustees, executive officers and directors of the Adviser, certain other affiliated persons of the Adviser, and persons who own more than 10% of a registered class of the Fund’s securities to file reports of ownership and changes in ownership with the SEC and the NYSE and to furnish the Fund with copies of all Section 16(a) forms they file. Based solely on the Fund’s review of Forms 3 and 4 and amendments thereto filed electronically with the SEC during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, the Fund believes that during that year such persons complied with all such applicable filing requirements.
Broker Non-Votes and Abstentions
For purposes of determining the presence of a quorum for transacting business at the Meeting, abstentions (or “withheld votes” with respect to the election of Trustees) and broker “non-votes” (that is, proxies from brokers or nominees indicating that such persons have not received instructions from the beneficial owner or other persons entitled to vote shares on a particular matter with respect to which the brokers or nominees do not have discretionary power) will be treated as shares that are present but that have not been voted. Accordingly, shareholders are urged to forward their voting instructions promptly.
Because the Fund requires a plurality of votes to elect each nominee for Trustee, abstentions and broker non-votes, if any, will not be counted as votes cast, but will have no effect on the result of the vote. Abstentions and any broker non-votes, however, will be considered to be present at the Meeting for purposes of determining the existence of a quorum.
Brokers holding shares of the Fund in “street name” for the benefit of their customers and clients will request the instructions of such customers and clients on how to vote their shares on Proposal 1 before the Meeting. Under the rules of the NYSE, such brokers may, for certain “routine” matters, grant discretionary authority to the proxies designated by the Board to vote if no instructions have been received from their customers and clients prior to the date specified in the brokers’ request for voting instructions. Proposal 1 is a “routine” matter and accordingly beneficial owners who do not provide proxy instructions or who do not return a proxy card may have their shares voted by broker-dealer firms in favor of Proposal 1. A properly executed proxy card or other authorization by a beneficial owner of shares that does not specify how the beneficial owner’s shares should be voted on Proposal 1 may be deemed an instruction to vote such shares in favor of the proposal.
Shareholders of the Fund will be informed of the voting results of the Meeting in the Fund’s Semiannual Report for the six months ended June 30, 2023.
“Householding”
Please note that only one document (i.e., an annual or semiannual report or set of proxy soliciting materials) may be delivered to two or more shareholders of the Fund who share an address, unless the Fund has received instructions to the contrary. To request a separate copy of a document, or for instructions regarding how to request a separate copy of these documents or regarding how to request a single copy if multiple copies of these documents are received, shareholders should contact the Fund at the address and phone number set forth above.
Delaware Statutory Trust Act – Control Share Acquisitions
The Fund is organized as a Delaware statutory trust and thus is subject to the control share acquisition statute contained in Subchapter III of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act (the “DSTA Control Share Statute”). The DSTA Control Share Statute applies to any closed-end investment company organized as a Delaware statutory trust and listed on a national securities exchange, such as the Fund. The DSTA Control Share Statute became automatically applicable to the Fund on August 1, 2022.
The DSTA Control Share Statute defines “control beneficial interests” (referred to as “control shares” herein) by reference to a series of voting power thresholds and provides that a holder of control shares acquired in a control share acquisition has no voting rights under the Delaware Statutory Trust Act (“DSTA”) or the Fund’s Governing Documents (as used herein, “Governing Documents” means the Fund’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust and By-Laws, together with any amendments or supplements thereto, including any Statement of Preferences establishing
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a series of preferred shares) with respect to the control shares acquired in the control share acquisition, except to the extent approved by the Fund’s shareholders by the affirmative vote of two–thirds of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter, excluding all interested shares (generally, shares held by the acquiring person and their associates and shares held by Fund insiders).
The DSTA Control Share Statute provides for a series of voting power thresholds above which shares are considered control shares. Whether one of these thresholds of voting power is met is determined by aggregating the holdings of the acquiring person as well as those of his, her or its “associates.” These thresholds are:
| • | 10% or more, but less than 15% of all voting power; |
| • | 15% or more, but less than 20% of all voting power; |
| • | 20% or more, but less than 25% of all voting power; |
| • | 25% or more, but less than 30% of all voting power; |
| • | 30% or more, but less than a majority of all voting power; or |
| • | a majority or more of all voting power. |
Under the DSTA Control Share Statute, once a threshold is reached, an acquirer has no voting rights with respect to shares in excess of that threshold (i.e., the “control shares”) until approved by a vote of shareholders, as described above, or otherwise exempted by the Fund’s Board of Trustees. The DSTA Control Share Statute contains a statutory process for an acquiring person to request a shareholder meeting for the purpose of considering the voting rights to be accorded control shares. An acquiring person must repeat this process at each threshold level.
Under the DSTA Control Share Statute, an acquiring person’s “associates” are broadly defined to include, among others, relatives of the acquiring person, anyone in a control relationship with the acquiring person, any investment fund or other collective investment vehicle that has the same investment adviser as the acquiring person, any investment adviser of an acquiring person that is an investment fund or other collective investment vehicle and any other person acting or intending to act jointly or in concert with the acquiring person.
Voting power under the DSTA Control Share Statute is the power (whether such power is direct or indirect or through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise) to directly or indirectly exercise or direct the exercise of the voting power of shares of the Fund in the election of the Fund’s Trustees (either generally or with respect to any subset, series or class of trustees, including any Trustees elected solely by a particular series or class of shares, such as the preferred shares). Thus, Preferred Shares, including the Series E and Series G Preferred Shares, acquired in excess of the above thresholds would be considered control shares with respect to the preferred share class vote for two Trustees.
Any control shares of the Fund acquired before August 1, 2022 are not subject to the DSTA Control Share Statute; however, any further acquisitions on or after August 1, 2022 are considered control shares subject to the DSTA Control Share Statute.
The DSTA Control Share Statute requires shareholders to disclose to the Fund any control share acquisition within 10 days of such acquisition, and also permits the Fund to require a shareholder or an associate of such person to disclose the number of shares owned or with respect to which such person or an associate thereof can directly or indirectly exercise voting power. Further, the DSTA Control Share Statute requires a shareholder or an associate of such person to provide to the Fund within 10 days of receiving a request therefor from the Fund any information that the Fund’s Trustees reasonably believe is necessary or desirable to determine whether a control share acquisition has occurred.
The DSTA Control Share Statute permits the Fund’s Board of Trustees, through a provision in the Fund’s Governing Documents or by Board action alone, to eliminate the application of the DSTA Control Share Statute to the acquisition of control shares in the Fund specifically, generally, or generally by types, as to specifically identified or unidentified existing or future beneficial owners or their affiliates or associates or as to any series or classes of shares. The DSTA Control Share Statute does not provide that the Fund can generally “opt out” of the application of the DSTA Control Share Statute; rather, specific acquisitions or classes of acquisitions may be exempted by the Fund’s Board of Trustees, either in advance or retroactively, but other aspects of the DSTA Control Share Statute, which
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are summarized above, would continue to apply. The DSTA Control Share Statute further provides that the Board of Trustees is under no obligation to grant any such exemptions.
The foregoing is only a summary of the material terms of the DSTA Control Share Statute. Shareholders should consult their own counsel with respect to the application of the DSTA Control Share Statute to any particular circumstance. Some uncertainty around the general application under the 1940 Act of state control share statutes exists as a result of recent court decisions. Additionally, in some circumstances uncertainty may also exist in how to enforce the control share restrictions contained in state control share statutes against beneficial owners who hold their shares through financial intermediaries.
OTHER MATTERS TO COME BEFORE THE MEETING
The Trustees of the Fund do not intend to present any other business at the Meeting, nor are they aware that any shareholder intends to do so. If, however, any other matters, including adjournments, are properly brought before the Meeting, the persons named in the accompanying proxy will vote thereon in accordance with their judgment.
SHAREHOLDER NOMINATIONS AND PROPOSALS
All proposals by shareholders of the Fund which are intended to be presented at the Fund’s next Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held in 2024 (the “2024 Annual Meeting”) must be received by the Fund for consideration for inclusion in the Fund’s 2024 proxy statement and proxy relating to that meeting no later than December 14, 2023. Rule 14a-8 under the 1934 Act (“Rule 14a-8”) specifies a number of procedural and eligibility requirements to be satisfied by a shareholder submitting a proposal for inclusion in the Fund’s proxy materials pursuant to this Rule. Any shareholder contemplating submissions of such a proposal is referred to Rule 14a-8.
The Fund’s By-Laws require shareholders that wish to nominate Trustees or make proposals to be voted on at an Annual Meeting of the Fund’s Shareholders (and which are not proposed to be included in the Fund’s proxy materials pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the 1934 Act) to provide timely notice of the nomination or proposal in writing. To be considered timely for the 2024 Annual Meeting, any such notice must be delivered to or mailed and received at the principal executive offices of the Fund at the address set forth on the first page of this proxy statement no earlier than 9:00 a.m. Eastern time on December 24, 2023 and no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on January 23, 2024; provided, however, that if the 2024 Annual Meeting is to be held on a date that is earlier than April 27, 2024 or later than June 16, 2024, such notice must be received by the Fund no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on the tenth day following the date on which public disclosure (as defined in the By-Laws) of the date of the 2024 Annual Meeting was first made. Any such notice by a shareholder shall set forth the information required by the Fund’s By-Laws with respect to each nomination or matter the shareholder proposes to bring before the 2024 Annual Meeting.
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT PROXIES BE RETURNED PROMPTLY.
SHAREHOLDERS MAY PROVIDE THEIR VOTE BY TELEPHONE OR THE INTERNET BY FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS ACCOMPANYING THE PROXY CARD, VOTING INSTRUCTION FORM OR SET FORTH IN THE NOTICE OF INTERNET AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS.
April 12, 2023
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GRX-PS-2023